CVE-2021-37921
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 · uneditedZoho ManageEngine ADManager Plus version 7110 and prior allows unrestricted file upload which leads to remote code execution.
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 confidenceZoho ManageEngine ADManager Plus version 7110 and prior contains an unrestricted file upload vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to upload arbitrary files to the server, which can then be executed to achieve remote code execution.
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< 7.1= 7.1CVSS 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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Identify if ManageEngine ADManager Plus is installedCheck common installation directories for ADManager Plus: C:\ManageEngine\ADManager Plus (Windows) or /opt/ADManager Plus (Linux). Look for the ADManager Plus service or process running on typical ports 8080, 8443, or 9100.Affected if The software is found running in the environment
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Determine the installed version numberAccess the About or Help section in the ADManager Plus web interface, or check the build_info.txt file in the installation directory (commonly in <ADManager_Home>/build/info/build_info.txt).Affected if The installed version is 7110 or any version prior to 7110 (versions shown as 7.1, 7.0.x, 6.x, etc.)
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Check if the file upload endpoint is exposedAttempt to access the unrestricted upload endpoint typically at /api/json/saveorupdate without authentication. This endpoint handles user photo uploads and other file attachments.Affected if The endpoint responds without requiring authentication credentials
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Look for suspicious uploaded filesSearch the ADManager Plus installation directory for recently created .jsp, .asp, .exe, or script files in unexpected locations, particularly in web-accessible directories or temp folders.Affected if Unknown or malicious script files are found in the application directory
The environment is affected if ManageEngine ADManager Plus version 7110 or prior is installed and the unauthenticated file upload API endpoint is accessible.
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 · scoped7.1
Upgrade ManageEngine ADManager Plus to a version newer than 7110, or apply vendor-supplied patches. Restrict network access to the management interface until patching is complete.
ADManager Plus version 7.2 or later (contact vendor for exact latest stable release)
- 1. Identify the current version of ManageEngine ADManager Plus by accessing the About section in the product interface.
- 2. If the current version is 7.1 (build 7110) or prior, this vulnerability is present.
- 3. Download the latest version of ManageEngine ADManager Plus from the official vendor website (www.manageengine.com/products/ad-manager/).
- 4. Before upgrading, perform a complete backup of the ADManager Plus installation directory and database.
- 5. Review the vendor's upgrade documentation for any specific prerequisites or migration steps.
- 6. Execute the upgrade installer on the production server following vendor-provided instructions.
- 7. After upgrade completion, verify the new version number in the About section.
- 8. Confirm that unrestricted file upload functionality is properly restricted by testing with authorized file types only.
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 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-2021-37921 — 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-2021-37921 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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