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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →CVE-2021-21976 is a post-authentication command-injection vulnerability in VMware vSphere Replication’s “Startup Configuration” page. An attacker must already have administrative access to vSphere Replication; VMware said successful exploitation could let that user run shell commands on the underlying system and potentially achieve remote code execution. The vendor rated it Important, with a CVSSv3 score of 7.2, and listed fixed releases for four affected branches in its 2021 advisory.
What CVE-2021-21976 does
The flaw affects the “Startup Configuration” page in vSphere Replication. VMware described it as post-authentication command injection: a user with administrative access could execute shell commands on the underlying system. VMware warned that successful exploitation could allow remote code execution. This is not an unauthenticated vulnerability that lets an arbitrary internet user run code without first obtaining access.
VMware classified CVE-2021-21976 as Important and assigned it a CVSSv3 base score of 7.2. The advisory, VMSA-2021-0001, was initially published February 9, 2021, and lists an issue date of February 11, 2021. VMware said the issue had been privately reported and credited Egor Dimitrenko of Positive Technologies.
Which vSphere Replication versions were affected?
VMware’s original advisory lists these affected branches and the fixed releases available for them at the time:
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| Affected branch | Fixed release named in the 2021 advisory |
|---|---|
| 8.3.x | 8.3.1.2 |
| 8.2.x | 8.2.1.1 |
| 8.1.x | 8.1.2.3 |
| 6.5.x | 6.5.1.5 |
These are historical fixes specified in 2021, not confirmation that those branches are supported today or the correct upgrade target for a current installation. Check current Broadcom support guidance and your environment’s upgrade requirements before planning an upgrade.
How to remediate the vulnerability
- Identify your installed vSphere Replication version. Determine which release branch your appliance is running and compare it with the affected branches in VMware’s advisory.
- Apply the relevant fixed release or a supported upgrade path. For the original branch-specific fixes, VMware named 8.3.1.2 for 8.3.x, 8.2.1.1 for 8.2.x, 8.1.2.3 for 8.1.x, and 6.5.1.5 for 6.5.x. Confirm the currently supported upgrade path for your deployment with Broadcom documentation.
- Verify the installed release after the change. Confirm that the appliance is running the intended patched or upgraded version and follow your organization’s normal change-control and validation procedures.
VMware listed no workaround (“Workarounds: None”) in the advisory and directed customers to apply the appropriate fixed version.
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How access could factor into an attack
Because exploitation requires administrative access, the vulnerability’s direct precondition is materially different from a flaw that grants access to an unauthenticated remote attacker. SecurityWeek reported that researcher Egor Dimitrenko described weak administrator passwords or social engineering as possible ways an attacker might first obtain authorized access. Those are contextual attack routes discussed by the researcher, not additional prerequisites VMware listed for the vulnerability itself.
Dimitrenko also described the possibility of using command execution on the server as a step toward broader infrastructure compromise. That is a potential downstream consequence, not a claim that every successful exploitation would result in a full enterprise takeover. The reviewed reporting does not establish exploitation in the wild, affected organizations, or incident counts. SecurityWeek’s report provides the researcher’s comments and disclosure context.
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