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Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2021-22048

The vCenter Server contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the IWA (Integrated Windows Authentication) authentication mechanism.

Published Nov 10, 2021 · catalog updated Jun 17, 2026 · cloud foundation

Last checked Nov 8, 2026. A connected source was read within the last 7 days.

Check this week

CVE-2021-22048 is not in CISA KEV. FIRST estimates a 10.30% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days. Check whether you run cloud foundation.

Gaps on this record

  • No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.

Same product and reporting

Severity
High8.8
Known exploitation
Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
10.30%
Remediation
Version ranges on file
Affected products
cpe vmware/cloud foundation · cpe vmware/vcenter server

The vCenter Server contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the IWA (Integrated Windows Authentication) authentication mechanism. A malicious actor with non-administrative access to vCenter Server may exploit this issue to elevate privileges to a higher privileged group.

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

  • cpe vmware/cloud foundation>= 3.0, <= 3.10.2.2
  • cpe vmware/cloud foundation>= 4.0, <= 4.1.0.1
  • cpe vmware/vcenter server6.5
  • cpe vmware/vcenter server6.7
  • cpe vmware/vcenter server7.0

How to fix CVE-2021-22048

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

CVE-2021-22048 is not in CISA KEV. FIRST estimates a 10.30% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days. Check whether you run cloud foundation.

Which versions are affected?

Compare what you have installed with vmware/cloud foundation >= 3.0, <= 3.10.2.2; vmware/cloud foundation >= 4.0, <= 4.1.0.1; vmware/vcenter server 6.5; vmware/vcenter server 6.7. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.

What should an analyst verify?

No weakness class is stored. EPSS 10.30%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Technology hubs

VMware securityWindows security

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

No public source repository is identified for this product.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Nov 10, 2021 · Monitored products — critical

    Detected

    The vCenter Server contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the IWA (Integrated Windows Authentication) authentication mechanism. A malicious actor with non-administrative access to vCenter Server may exploit this issue to elevate privileges to a higher privileged group.

  2. Jun 17, 2026 · Monitored products — critical

    Updated

    The vCenter Server contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the IWA (Integrated Windows Authentication) authentication mechanism. A malicious actor with non-administrative access to vCenter Server may exploit this issue to elevate privileges to a higher privileged group.

Sources

  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2021-22048

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • Monitored products — criticalVendor advisoryCVE-2021-22048

    The vCenter Server contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the IWA (Integrated Windows Authentication) authentication mechanism. A malicious actor with non-administrative access to vCenter Server may exploit this issue to elevate privileges to a higher privileged group.

    nvd.nist.gov
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/167733/VMware-Security-Advisory-2022-0025.2.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/167795/VMware-Security-Advisory-2021-0025.3.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Nov 7, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.

  • Packet Storm SecurityNov 8, 2026
  • Packet Storm SecurityNov 8, 2026
  • Monitored products — criticalNov 6, 2026
  • CVE.orgNov 2, 2026