CVE-2021-27471
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedThe parsing mechanism that processes certain file types does not provide input sanitization for file paths. This may allow an attacker to craft malicious files that, when opened by Rockwell Automation Connected Components Workbench v12.00.00 and prior, can traverse the file system. If successfully exploited, an attacker could overwrite existing files and create additional files with the same permissions of the Connected Components Workbench software. User interaction is required for this exploit to be successful.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceA path traversal vulnerability exists in the file parsing mechanism of Rockwell Automation Connected Components Workbench v12.00.00 and prior. The parsing logic fails to sanitize file paths, allowing attackers to use directory traversal sequences (e.g., '../') within malicious files. When opened by a user, these files can overwrite existing system files or create new files with the same permissions as the application.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data<= 12.00.00CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify if Connected Components Workbench is installedCheck the installed programs list on the Windows system (Control Panel > Programs and Features, or run 'appwiz.cpl'), or look for the software in common installation directories such as C:\Program Files\Rockwell Automation\Connected Components WorkbenchAffected if The software appears in the installed programs list
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Determine the installed versionRight-click the software entry in Programs and Features and select 'Change', or check the version in the application's About/Help dialog, or locate the executable (typically CCW.exe) in the installation folder and view its file propertiesAffected if The displayed version is 12.00.00 or any version lower than 12.00.00
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Verify the file parsing component is presentConfirm the CCW executable exists and the software includes file import/open functionality for project files (.ccwrln, .ccwrg, or similar format files used by the software)Affected if The software and its file opening capabilities are present on the system
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Assess exposure to untrusted filesReview whether users routinely open project files, backups, or imported configurations from external or untrusted sources, or check recent file access logs if availableAffected if Users open files from untrusted or unknown sources using the software
If Connected Components Workbench version 12.00.00 or prior is installed and users open project files, the environment is likely affected by this path traversal vulnerability.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scopedUpgrade to a version newer than v12.00.00 when available, and exercise caution when opening files from untrusted sources.
Connected Components Workbench version higher than 12.00.00 (verify exact patched version from Rockwell Automation advisory)
- 1. Navigate to the Rockwell Automation website or their official support portal (rockwellautomation.custhelp.com)
- 2. Search for CVE-2021-27471 or the Connected Components Workbench security advisory
- 3. Download the latest version of Connected Components Workbench that addresses this vulnerability
- 4. Ensure all users close the Connected Components Workbench application before proceeding
- 5. Run the installer with appropriate administrative privileges
- 6. After installation, verify the version number matches the patched release
- 7. Test that legitimate project files open correctly to confirm functionality
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation16.0 h
- Testing8.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-27471 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-27471 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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