CVE-2021-38163
CVE-2021-38163 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Sap Netweaver with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.9. It is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming it has been exploited in the wild (added 2022-06-09). The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-22.
Key facts
- Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.9)
- CVSS v2: 9.0
- EPSS exploit prediction: 37% (98th percentile)
- Actively exploited: Yes — listed in CISA KEV (added 2022-06-09)
- EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2021-24633
- EU exploitation: Flagged exploited in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (since 2022-06-09)
- Weakness: CWE-22
- Affected product: Sap Netweaver
- Published:
- Last modified:
Description
SAP NetWeaver (Visual Composer 7.0 RT) versions - 7.30, 7.31, 7.40, 7.50, without restriction, an attacker authenticated as a non-administrative user can upload a malicious file over a network and trigger its processing, which is capable of running operating system commands with the privilege of the Java Server process. These commands can be used to read or modify any information on the server or shut the server down making it unavailable.
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2021-38163?
- SAP NetWeaver (Visual Composer 7.0 RT) versions - 7.30, 7.31, 7.40, 7.50, without restriction, an attacker authenticated as a non-administrative user can upload a malicious file over a network and trigger its processing, which is capable of running operating system commands with the privilege of the Java Server process. These commands can be used to read or modify any information on the server or shut the server down making it unavailable.
- How severe is CVE-2021-38163?
- CVE-2021-38163 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.9, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
- Is CVE-2021-38163 being actively exploited?
- Yes. CVE-2021-38163 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2022-06-09, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.
- What products are affected by CVE-2021-38163?
- CVE-2021-38163 primarily affects Sap Netweaver. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
- How do I fix CVE-2021-38163?
- Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.
- Does CVE-2021-38163 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
- Yes. CVE-2021-38163 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2021-24633. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2022-06-09).
- When was CVE-2021-38163 published?
- CVE-2021-38163 was published on 2021-09-14 and last updated on 2026-06-17.
References
- https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/3084487
- https://wiki.scn.sap.com/wiki/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=585106405
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-38163
Affected products (4)
- cpe:2.3:a:sap:netweaver:7.30:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:sap:netweaver:7.31:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:sap:netweaver:7.40:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:sap:netweaver:7.50:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
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