VMware vCenter Server Arbitrary File Upload (VMSA-2021-0020) - Nessus

Critical   Plugin ID: 153889

This page contains detailed information about the VMware vCenter Server Arbitrary File Upload (VMSA-2021-0020) Nessus plugin including available exploits and PoCs found on GitHub, in Metasploit or Exploit-DB for verifying of this vulnerability.

Table Of Contents
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Plugin Overview

ID: 153889
Name: VMware vCenter Server Arbitrary File Upload (VMSA-2021-0020)
Filename: vmware_vcenter_cve-2021-22005.nbin
Vulnerability Published: 2021-09-21
This Plugin Published: 2021-10-06
Last Modification Time: 2022-05-03
Plugin Version: 1.14
Plugin Type: remote
Plugin Family: Misc.
Dependencies: vmware_vcenter_detect.nbin
Required KB Items [?]: Host/VMware/release, Host/VMware/vCenter, Host/VMware/version

Vulnerability Information

Severity: Critical
Vulnerability Published: 2021-09-21
Patch Published: 2021-09-21
CVE [?]: CVE-2021-22005
CPE [?]: cpe:/a:vmware:vcenter_server

Synopsis

A virtualization management application installed on the remote host is affected by a arbitrary file upload vulnerability.

Description

An arbitrary file upload vulnerability exists in vCenter Server. An unauthenticated, remote attacker with network access to port 443 on vCenter Server may exploit this issue to execute code on vCenter Server by uploading a specially crafted file.

Solution

Upgrade to VMware vCenter Server 7.0 U2c or later or apply the workaround mentioned in the advisory.

Public Exploits

Target Network Port(s): 80, 443
Target Asset(s): Services/www
Exploit Available: True (Metasploit Framework, GitHub)
Exploit Ease: Exploits are available

Here's the list of publicly known exploits and PoCs for verifying the VMware vCenter Server Arbitrary File Upload (VMSA-2021-0020) vulnerability:

  1. Metasploit: exploit/linux/http/vmware_vcenter_analytics_file_upload
    [VMware vCenter Server Analytics (CEIP) Service File Upload]
  2. GitHub: https://github.com/1ZRR4H/CVE-2021-22005
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  3. GitHub: https://github.com/5gstudent/CVE-2021-22005-
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  4. GitHub: https://github.com/AIPOCAI/CVE-2021-22005
    [CVE-2021-22005: PoC for exploiting CVE-2021-22005 : The vCenter Server contains an arbitrary file ...]
  5. GitHub: https://github.com/CHYbeta/Vuln100Topics20
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  6. GitHub: https://github.com/FDlucifer/firece-fish
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  7. GitHub: https://github.com/Mr-xn/Penetration_Testing_POC
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  8. GitHub: https://github.com/RedTeamExp/CVE-2021-22005_PoC
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  9. GitHub: https://github.com/TheTh1nk3r/exp_hub
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  10. GitHub: https://github.com/TiagoSergio/CVE-2021-22005
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  11. GitHub: https://github.com/Timirepo/CVE_Exploits
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  12. GitHub: https://github.com/Vulnmachines/VmWare-vCenter-vulnerability
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  13. GitHub: https://github.com/X1pe0/VMWare-CVE-Check
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  14. GitHub: https://github.com/chaosec2021/CVE-2021-22005poc
    [CVE-2021-22005: CVE-2021-22005 vcenter任意文件上传批量验证poc]
  15. GitHub: https://github.com/hanc00l/some_pocsuite
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  16. GitHub: https://github.com/nday-ldgz/ZoomEye-dork
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  17. GitHub: https://github.com/pisut4152/Sigma-Rule-for-CVE-2021-22005-scanning-activity
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  18. GitHub: https://github.com/r0eXpeR/supplier
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  19. GitHub: https://github.com/rwincey/CVE-2021-22005
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  20. GitHub: https://github.com/shmilylty/cve-2021-22005-exp
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  21. GitHub: https://github.com/timb-machine-mirrors/CVE-2021-22005
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  22. GitHub: https://github.com/viksafe/Get-vSphereVersion
    [CVE-2021-22005]
  23. GitHub: https://github.com/Jun-5heng/CVE-2021-22005
    [CVE-2021-22005: VMware vCenter Server任意文件上传漏洞 / Code By:Jun_sheng]
  24. GitHub: https://github.com/r0ckysec/CVE-2021-22005
    [CVE-2021-22005: CVE-2021-22005 - VMWare vCenter Server File Upload to RCE]
  25. GitHub: https://github.com/TaroballzChen/CVE-2021-22005-metasploit
    [CVE-2021-22005: the metasploit script(POC/EXP) about CVE-2021-22005 VMware vCenter Server contains ...]

Before running any exploit against any system, make sure you are authorized by the owner of the target system(s) to perform such activity. In any other case, this would be considered as an illegal activity.

WARNING: Beware of using unverified exploits from sources such as GitHub or Exploit-DB. These exploits and PoCs could contain malware. For more information, see how to use exploits safely.

Risk Information

CVSS Score Source [?]: CVE-2021-22005
CVSS V2 Vector: AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P/E:H/RL:OF/RC:C
CVSS Base Score:7.5 (High)
Impact Subscore:6.4
Exploitability Subscore:10.0
CVSS Temporal Score:6.5 (Medium)
CVSS Environmental Score:NA (None)
Modified Impact Subscore:NA
Overall CVSS Score:6.5 (Medium)
CVSS V3 Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:H/RL:O/RC:C
CVSS Base Score:9.8 (Critical)
Impact Subscore:5.9
Exploitability Subscore:3.9
CVSS Temporal Score:9.4 (Critical)
CVSS Environmental Score:NA (None)
Modified Impact Subscore:NA
Overall CVSS Score:9.4 (Critical)
STIG Severity [?]: I
STIG Risk Rating: High

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Plugin Source

The vmware_vcenter_cve-2021-22005.nbin Nessus plugin is distributed in a propriatory binary format and its source code is protected. This script is Copyright (C) 2021-2022 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.

The latest version of this script can be found in these locations depending on your platform:

  • Linux / Unix:
    /opt/nessus/lib/nessus/plugins/vmware_vcenter_cve-2021-22005.nbin
  • Windows:
    C:\ProgramData\Tenable\Nessus\nessus\plugins\vmware_vcenter_cve-2021-22005.nbin
  • Mac OS X:
    /Library/Nessus/run/lib/nessus/plugins/vmware_vcenter_cve-2021-22005.nbin

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How to Run

Here is how to run the VMware vCenter Server Arbitrary File Upload (VMSA-2021-0020) as a standalone plugin via the Nessus web user interface (https://localhost:8834/):

  1. Click to start a New Scan.
  2. Select Advanced Scan.
  3. Navigate to the Plugins tab.
  4. On the top right corner click to Disable All plugins.
  5. On the left side table select Misc. plugin family.
  6. On the right side table select VMware vCenter Server Arbitrary File Upload (VMSA-2021-0020) plugin ID 153889.
  7. Specify the target on the Settings tab and click to Save the scan.
  8. Run the scan.

Here are a few examples of how to run the plugin in the command line. Note that the examples below demonstrate the usage on the Linux / Unix platform.

Basic usage:

/opt/nessus/bin/nasl vmware_vcenter_cve-2021-22005.nbin -t <IP/HOST>

Run the plugin with audit trail message on the console:

/opt/nessus/bin/nasl -a vmware_vcenter_cve-2021-22005.nbin -t <IP/HOST>

Run the plugin with trace script execution written to the console (useful for debugging):

/opt/nessus/bin/nasl -T - vmware_vcenter_cve-2021-22005.nbin -t <IP/HOST>

Run the plugin with using a state file for the target and updating it (useful for running multiple plugins on the target):

/opt/nessus/bin/nasl -K /tmp/state vmware_vcenter_cve-2021-22005.nbin -t <IP/HOST>

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References

IAVA | Information Assurance Vulnerability Alert:
  • 2021-A-0434
See also: Similar and related Nessus plugins:
  • 153544 - VMware vCenter Server < 6.7 Multiple Vulnerabilities (VMSA-2021-0020)
  • 153545 - VMware vCenter Server < 7.0 U2c Multiple Vulnerabilities (VMSA-2021-0020)
  • 151049 - OracleVM 3.4 : xen (OVMSA-2021-0020)
  • 153547 - VMware vCenter Server < 6.5 U3q Multiple Vulnerabilities (VMSA-2021-0020)
  • 88086 - Oracle WebLogic Portal Apache Commons File Upload (January 2016 CPU)

Version

This page has been produced using Nessus Professional 10.1.2 (#68) LINUX, Plugin set 202205072148.
Plugin file vmware_vcenter_cve-2021-22005.nbin version 1.14. For more plugins, visit the Nessus Plugin Library.

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