CVE-2021-27471 Rockwell Automation Connected Components Workbench Path Traversal

High 7.7 Published 23 Mar 2022 Updated 16 Apr 2025

Attackers can overwrite or create files via malicious inputs in Rockwell Automation Connected Components Workbench, requiring user interaction to open the file.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Not needed
Attackable: Local or same network only
Victim action needed: A user has to click or open something
Fix: None listed

What is CVE-2021-27471?

CVE-2021-27471 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Rockwell Automation Connected Components Workbench, published on 23 Mar 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

Official description

The parsing mechanism that processes certain file types does not provide input sanitization for file paths. This may allow an attacker to craft malicious files that, when opened by Rockwell Automation Connected Components Workbench v12.00.00 and prior, can traverse the file system. If successfully exploited, an attacker could overwrite existing files and create additional files with the same permissions of the Connected Components Workbench software. User interaction is required for this exploit to be successful.

Weakness: CWE-22

Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-27471?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Rockwellautomation Connected Components Workbench.

How do I fix CVE-2021-27471?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-27471 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

Upgrade, and resolve every user-supplied path against an allowed base folder before opening it. More about Path traversal.

Is CVE-2021-27471 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-27471 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Sources

Also known as GHSA-qj5f-6rc3-vgfv.