# CVE-2021-47817: OpenEMR 5.0.2.1 - Remote Code Execution

> Authenticated attackers can chain XSS with file upload to execute remote code on OpenEMR instances, requiring immediate patching.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.8 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:A/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 21 Jan 2026
- **Updated:** 25 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pv2r-f997-mjw4

## What is CVE-2021-47817?

CVE-2021-47817 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Open-Emr Openemr, published on 21 Jan 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

OpenEMR 5.0.2.1 contains a cross-site scripting vulnerability in user profile parameters that authenticated attackers can chain with a file upload to achieve remote code execution. Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by crafting a malicious payload to download and execute a web shell, enabling remote command execution on the vulnerable OpenEMR instance.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-47817?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Open-Emr Openemr.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-47817?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-47817 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-47817 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-47817 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Open-Emr Openemr

- [CVE-2026-24898](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24898/): OpenEMR has an Unauthenticated MedEx Token Disclosure (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-24849](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24849/): OpenEMR Arbitrary File Read Vulnerability (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-24908](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24908/): OpenEMR has SQL Injection in Patient API Sort Parameter (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2022-2734](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2734/): Improper Restriction of Rendered UI Layers or Frames in openemr/openemr (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2024-22611](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-22611/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-47817 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-47817 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Open-Emr Openemr, published on 21 Jan 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-47817 exists.

Affected product: Open-Emr Openemr. 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-2021-47817/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47817/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-47817
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-47817
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-47817

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47817/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.