CRITICAL CVSS 9.8
Published: 2021-03-03

CVE-2021-21978

vmware view_planner Security Advisory (CVE-2021-21978)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2021-21978 impacting vmware view_planner. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
VMware View Planner 4.x prior to 4.6 Security Patch 1 contains a remote code execution vulnerability. Improper input validation and lack of authorization leading to arbitrary file upload in logupload web application. An unauthorized attacker with network access to View Planner Harness could upload and execute a specially crafted file leading to remote code execution within the logupload container.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
High (C:H)
Total information disclosure
Integrity
High (I:H)
Total modification of target system
Availability
High (A:H)
Total denial of service or shutdown

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product vmware / view_planner
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-20

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2021-21978 impacting vmware view_planner.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2021-21978.yaml
id: cve-2021-21978

info:
  name: vmware view_planner - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: critical
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2021-21978 affecting vmware view_planner.
    Evaluation: VMware View Planner 4.x prior to 4.6 Security Patch 1 contains a remote code execution vulnerability. Improper input validation and lack of authorizat...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2021-21978
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 9.8
    cve-id: CVE-2021-21978
    cwe-id: CWE-20
  tags: cve,cve-2021-21978,vmware,view_planner,critical

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "view_planner"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2021-21978.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2021-21978
# Target: vmware view_planner | CVSS: 9.8 (CRITICAL)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2021-21978 (vmware view_planner)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against vmware view_planner scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2021-21978.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2021-21978
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install view_planner 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade view_planner 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update view_planner

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i view_planner 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i view_planner

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2021-21978 in vmware view_planner?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update vmware view_planner packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2021-21978?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2021-21978?

CVE-2021-21978 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 9.8 (CRITICAL). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
9.8
CRITICAL SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2021-21978
Weakness CWE-20
Vendor vmware
Product view_planner
Published 2021-03-03
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H