CVE-2021-22015
The vCenter Server contains multiple local privilege escalation vulnerabilities due to improper...
The vCenter Server contains multiple local privilege escalation vulnerabilities due to improper permissions of files and directories. An authenticated local user with non-administrative privilege may exploit these issues to elevate their privileges to root on vCenter Server Appliance.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
The vCenter Server contains multiple local privilege escalation vulnerabilities due to improper permissions of files and directories. An authenticated local user with non-administrative privilege may exploit these issues to elevate their privileges to root on vCenter Server Appliance.
- Record
CVE-2021-22015- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 7.2 High
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-552
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
The vCenter Server contains multiple local privilege escalation vulnerabilities due to improper permissions of files and directories. An authenticated local user with non-administrative privilege may exploit these issues to elevate their privileges to root on vCenter Server Appliance.
- Record
CVE-2021-22015- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-9184 No score
The vCenter Server contains multiple local privilege escalation vulnerabilities due to improper permissions of files and directories. An authenticated local user with non-administrative privilege may exploit these issues to elevate their privileges to root on vCenter Server Appliance.
- Record
EUVD-2021-9184- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-7r68-66h2-v7f6
The vCenter Server contains multiple local privilege escalation vulnerabilities due to improper...
The vCenter Server contains multiple local privilege escalation vulnerabilities due to improper permissions of files and directories. An authenticated local user with non-administrative privilege may exploit these issues to elevate their privileges to root on vCenter Server Appliance.
- Record
GHSA-7r68-66h2-v7f6- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269, CWE-552
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Metasploit | VMware vCenter vScalation Priv Esc | 2021-09-21 |
| PoC in GitHub | PenteraIO/vScalation-CVE-2021-22015 | 2021-09-30 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, Metasploit, NVD, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-22015 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) in Vmware Vcenter Server, published September 23, 2021. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.94%, the 80th percentile. No source names a fixed version.