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CampaignApplication · Adobe

CVE-2021-40745

HIGH · 7.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2021-11-17
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 21.2.1 or later.
See remediation →
84/100
Remediation priority · High
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

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 · unedited
Adobe Campaign version 21.2.1 (and earlier) is affected by a Path Traversal vulnerability that could lead to reading arbitrary server files. By leveraging an exposed XML file, an unauthenticated attacker can enumerate other files on the server.

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 confidence

Adobe Campaign versions 21.2.1 and earlier contain a path traversal vulnerability. An unauthenticated attacker can exploit an exposed XML file endpoint to traverse directory paths using sequences like '../' and read arbitrary files on the server, potentially exposing sensitive configuration data, credentials, or other confidential information.

MitigationRestrict access to the exposed XML endpoint and implement strict input validation on file path parameters to prevent directory traversal sequences. Consider upgrading to a patched version if available and conducting a security review of similar file handling endpoints.

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
CampaignApplication
Affected:<= 21.2.1

CVSS 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
None
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify the installed Adobe Campaign version
    Access the Adobe Campaign client console or admin interface, or check the version information in the installation directory or configuration files. Common locations include the version info in the login screen or about dialog.
    Affected if The installed version is 21.2.1 or any earlier version.
  2. Locate the exposed XML file endpoint
    Identify if the web server hosting Adobe Campaign exposes XML-related endpoints. Common patterns include URLs containing 'xml', '.xml', or file upload/download endpoints. Check the web server configuration and deployed application paths.
    Affected if An XML endpoint is publicly accessible without authentication.
  3. Test for directory traversal vulnerability
    Using a web proxy or curl, send a request to the XML endpoint with path traversal sequences such as '../' to access files outside the intended directory. For example: GET /[xml-endpoint]?file=../../../../etc/passwd or similar patterns.
    Affected if The application returns file contents from paths outside the intended directory, confirming the path traversal is exploitable.
  4. Inspect server configuration files for sensitive data exposure
    If the traversal is confirmed, verify if sensitive files such as configuration files, database credentials, or internal system files can be accessed. Review the server's file permissions and directory structure.
    Affected if Arbitrary files from the server file system can be read through the vulnerable endpoint.

You are affected if Adobe Campaign version 21.2.1 or earlier is installed AND the XML endpoint is exposed and accessible, allowing path traversal sequences to read arbitrary files.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 21.2.1
Interim mitigation

Restrict access to the exposed XML endpoint and implement strict input validation on file path parameters to prevent directory traversal sequences. Consider upgrading to a patched version if available and conducting a security review of similar file handling endpoints.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Adobe Campaign Classic 21.2.2 or later (or the next stable 21.x release beyond 21.2.1)

  1. 1. Back up your current Adobe Campaign configuration and database before attempting any upgrade.
  2. 2. Download Adobe Campaign Classic version 21.2.2 or later from the official Adobe distribution center.
  3. 3. Review the upgrade documentation for Campaign Classic 21.x to understand the migration process.
  4. 4. Execute the upgrade following Adobe's standard upgrade procedures for Campaign Classic.
  5. 5. After upgrading, verify that the XML endpoint vulnerability is no longer exploitable by testing the path traversal vectors that were previously accessible.
  6. 6. Validate that all campaign functionalities work correctly post-upgrade.
Caveat Standard Campaign upgrade considerations apply - test thoroughly in staging first; custom workflows and integrations should be validated against the new version

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Campaign Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
14.0 hours of engineering $2,490
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-40745 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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.

What belongs here
  • 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