# CVE-2021-21999: Privilege escalation in VMware Tools for Windows, VMware Remote Console for Windows and VMware App Volumes

> Local attackers can execute code with elevated privileges by placing a malicious file in an unrestricted directory within VMware Windows tools.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Jun 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cc95-jcm8-xmfh

## What is CVE-2021-21999?

CVE-2021-21999 is a high-severity vulnerability in VMware Tools for Windows, VMware Remote Console for Windows and VMware App Volumes, published on 23 Jun 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

VMware Tools for Windows (11.x.y prior to 11.2.6), VMware Remote Console for Windows (12.x prior to 12.0.1) , VMware App Volumes (2.x prior to 2.18.10 and 4 prior to 2103) contain a local privilege escalation vulnerability. An attacker with normal access to a virtual machine may exploit this issue by placing a malicious file renamed as `openssl.cnf' in an unrestricted directory which would allow code to be executed with elevated privileges.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-21999?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Vmware App Volumes, Vmware Remote Console, Vmware Tools.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-21999?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-21999 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-21999 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-21999 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in VMware Tools for Windows, VMware Remote Console for Windows and VMware App Volumes

- [CVE-2020-3975](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3975/): Cross-site scripting in VMware App Volumes (medium 5.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-21999 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-21999 is a high-severity vulnerability in VMware Tools for Windows, VMware Remote Console for Windows and VMware App Volumes, published on 23 Jun 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-21999 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: VMware Tools for Windows, VMware Remote Console for Windows and VMware App Volumes. 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-2021-21999/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21999/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-21999
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21999
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-21999

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21999/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.