CVE-2021-21974: VMware ESXi SLP Heap-based Buffer Overflow Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Published Feb 24, 2021
·Updated
OpenSLP as used in ESXi (7.0 before ESXi70U1c-17325551, 6.7 before ESXi670-202102401-SG, 6.5 before ESXi650-202102101-SG) has a heap-overflow vulnerability. A malicious actor residing within the same network segment as ESXi who has access to port 427 may be able to trigger the heap-overflow issue in OpenSLP service resulting in remote code execution.
Affected Software
233 affected components
VMware Cloud Foundation>=3.0<3.10.1.2
VMware Cloud Foundation>=4.0<4.2
VMware ESXi=6.5
VMware ESXi=6.5-2
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201701001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201703001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201703002
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201704001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707101
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707102
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707103
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707201
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707202
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707203
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707204
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707205
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707206
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707207
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707208
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707209
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707210
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707211
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707212
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707213
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707214
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707215
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707216
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707217
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707218
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707219
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707220
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201707221
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201710001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201712001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201803001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201806001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201808001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201810001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201810002
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201811001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201811002
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201811301
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201901001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201903001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201905001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201908001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201910001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-20191004001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201911001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201911401
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201911402
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201912001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201912002
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201912101
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201912102
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201912103
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201912104
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201912301
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201912401
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201912402
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201912403
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-201912404
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-202005001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-202006001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-202007001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-202010001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-202011001
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-202011002
VMware ESXi=6.5-650-202102001
VMware ESXi=6.7
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201806001
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201807001
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201808001
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810001
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810101
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810102
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810103
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810201
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810202
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810203
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810204
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810205
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810206
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810207
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810208
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810209
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810210
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810211
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810212
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810213
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810214
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810215
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810216
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810217
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810218
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810219
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810220
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810221
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810222
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810223
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810224
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810225
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810226
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810227
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810228
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810229
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810230
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810231
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810232
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810233
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201810234
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201811001
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201901001
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201901401
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201901402
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201901403
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201903001
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904001
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904201
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904201-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904202
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904202-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904203
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904203-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904204
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904204-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904205
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904205-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904206
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904206-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904207
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904207-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904208
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904208-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904209
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904209-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904210
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904210-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904211
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904211-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904212
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904212-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904213
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904213-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904214
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904214-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904215
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904215-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904216
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904216-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904217
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904217-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904218
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904218-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904219
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904219-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904220
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904220-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904221
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904221-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904222
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904222-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904223
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904223-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904224
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904224-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904225
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904225-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904226
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904226-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904227
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904227-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904228
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904228-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904229
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201904229-ug
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201905001
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201906002
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908101
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908102
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908103
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908104
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908201
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908202
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908203
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908204
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908205
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908206
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908207
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908208
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908209
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908210
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908211
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908212
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908213
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908214
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908215
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908216
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908217
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908218
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908219
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908220
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201908221
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201912001
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201912101
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201912102
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201912401
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201912402
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201912403
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201912404
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-201912405
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202004001
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202004002
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202004301
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202004401
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202004402
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202004403
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202004404
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202004405
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202004406
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202004407
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202004408
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202006001
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202008001
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202010001
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202011001
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202011002
VMware ESXi=6.7-670-202102001
VMware ESXi=7.0.0
VMware ESXi=7.0.0-b
VMware ESXi=7.0.0-update_1
VMware ESXi=7.0.0-update_1a
VMware ESXi=7.0.0-update_1b
Event History
Feb 24, 2021
CVE Published
via MITRE·04:57 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·04:57 PM
DescriptionWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·05:15 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Feb 7, 2024
News Published
via ZDNet·03:49 PM
News Published
via ZDNet·05:24 PM
May 13, 2024
News Published
via The Register·06:30 PM
News Published
via The Register·06:34 PM
Jun 11, 2026
Advisory Published
via ZDI·08:54 PM
Data Sourced
via ZDI·08:54 PM
DescriptionAffected Software
Peer vulnerabilities
Found alongside the following vulnerabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
1
What is the severity of CVE-2021-21974?
CVE-2021-21974 is rated as a critical vulnerability due to its potential for heap overflow, which could allow unauthorized access to affected systems.
2
How do I fix CVE-2021-21974?
To remediate CVE-2021-21974, upgrade to the latest patched version of VMware ESXi or the affected product versions as specified in the security advisory.
3
What products are affected by CVE-2021-21974?
CVE-2021-21974 affects VMware ESXi versions 6.5, 6.7, and 7.0 prior to their respective updates and VMware Cloud Foundation versions up to 4.2.
4
How is CVE-2021-21974 exploited?
CVE-2021-21974 can be exploited by an attacker with access to the same network segment, targeting port 427 to execute a heap overflow attack.
5
When was CVE-2021-21974 disclosed?
CVE-2021-21974 was disclosed in 2021 and is associated with a security advisory released by VMware detailing the vulnerability and remediation steps.