# CVE-2021-21983: Path traversal in VMware vRealize Operations

> Authenticated attackers can write arbitrary files to the underlying OS via the API, potentially leading to code execution or privilege escalation.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 31 Mar 2021
- **Updated:** 12 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4vwx-r658-c2mg

## What is CVE-2021-21983?

CVE-2021-21983 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Vmware Cloud Foundation, published on 31 Mar 2021. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Arbitrary file write vulnerability in vRealize Operations Manager API (CVE-2021-21983) prior to 8.4 may allow an authenticated malicious actor with network access to the vRealize Operations Manager API can write files to arbitrary locations on the underlying photon operating system.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-21983?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Vmware Cloud Foundation, Vmware Vrealize Operations Manager, Vmware Vrealize Suite Lifecycle Manager.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-21983?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-21983 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-21983 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-21983 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- [CVE-2021-21983] VMware vRealize Operations (vROps) Manager API Arbitrary File Write Leads to Remote Code Execution (RCE) (github_poc): https://github.com/murataydemir/CVE-2021-21983
- VMware vRealize Operations (vROps) Manager SSRF RCE (metasploit)

## Other vulnerabilities in Vmware Cloud Foundation

- [CVE-2024-38812](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38812/): VMware vCenter Server Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-37079](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-37079/): Broadcom VMware vCenter Server Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-22954](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22954/): VMware Workspace ONE Access and Identity Manager Server-Side Template Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-22005](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22005/): VMware vCenter Server File Upload (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-21985](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21985/): VMware vCenter Server Improper Input Validation (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-21983 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-21983 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Vmware Cloud Foundation, published on 31 Mar 2021. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-21983 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Vmware Cloud Foundation. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21983/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21983/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-21983
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21983
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-21983

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21983/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.