CVE-2021-35963
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 specific parameter of upload function of the Orca HCM digital learning platform does not filter file format, which allows remote unauthenticated attackers to upload files containing malicious script to execute RCE attacks.
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 · high confidenceThe Orca HCM digital learning platform contains an insecure file upload vulnerability in its upload function. The function fails to validate or filter file formats, allowing remote unauthenticated attackers to upload files containing malicious scripts. These uploaded files can then be executed to achieve remote code execution (RCE) on the affected server.
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<= 10.0CVSS 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
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/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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Confirm Orca HCM installationIdentify if Learningdigital Orca HCM is deployed in your environment by reviewing installed applications, web server configurations, or software inventory records.Affected if Orca HCM is present and no other compensating controls are in place.
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Determine installed versionLocate the installed version of Orca HCM through application metadata, about pages, or system documentation, and compare it against the affected range (version 10.0 and below).Affected if The installed version is 10.0 or lower.
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Locate upload functionalityIdentify whether the file upload feature or module is present and accessible in the Orca HCM application by reviewing available features and endpoints.Affected if The upload function is enabled and publicly accessible.
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Inspect upload directory configurationReview the web server and application configuration to determine where uploaded files are stored and whether they are placed within the web root.Affected if Uploaded files are stored in a location accessible via web request without execution restrictions.
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Verify file type validationExamine the upload function's code or configuration to determine if file format validation (content-type, magic bytes, or whitelist) is implemented.Affected if No file type validation or filtering is enforced on uploads.
A user is affected if Orca HCM version 10.0 or lower is installed with its upload feature enabled and without proper file validation or secure upload directory configuration.
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.
From vendor dataImplement strict file type validation using a whitelist approach, verify file content/magic bytes rather than relying solely on file extensions, store uploaded files outside webroot, and disable script execution permissions on upload directories.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA3.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,888.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-35963 — 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-2021-35963 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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A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- 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
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data