CVE-2021-4462
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 · uneditedEmployee Records System version 1.0 contains an unrestricted file upload vulnerability that allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to upload arbitrary files via the uploadID.php endpoint; uploaded files can be executed because the application does not perform proper server-side validation. Exploitation evidence was observed by the Shadowserver Foundation on 2025-02-06 UTC.
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 Employee Records System v1.0 has an unrestricted file upload vulnerability in the uploadID.php endpoint that allows remote unauthenticated attackers to upload arbitrary files. Because the application lacks server-side validation, uploaded files are stored in a location accessible via web server and can be executed, enabling full 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= 1.0CVSS 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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Identify if Employee Records System v1.0 is deployedSearch your web server directories for files or folders containing 'Employee Records System', 'employee', or 'records' in the name. Check web server configuration files for associated virtual hosts or document roots.Affected if The application folder or files matching 'Employee Records System' version 1.0 exist on the server
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Locate the uploadID.php endpointSearch the application directory for a file named 'uploadID.php'. If found, verify it is located within the web-accessible document root or a subdirectory served by the web server.Affected if The uploadID.php file exists and is served by the web server (accessible via HTTP/HTTPS)
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Determine if the upload endpoint requires authenticationAttempt to access the uploadID.php endpoint directly without providing any credentials, or review the application's authentication configuration to see if uploadID.php is explicitly excluded from auth requirements.Affected if The uploadID.php endpoint is accessible without any authentication token, session, or login
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Check where uploaded files are storedExamine the uploadID.php source code (if accessible) or application logs to identify the storage path for uploaded files. Verify if this path is within the web document root.Affected if Uploaded files are stored in a directory that is web-accessible and allows script execution (e.g., no .htaccess restrictions, not outside webroot)
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Verify if server-side file validation existsReview the uploadID.php code for server-side checks such as file type allowlists, MIME type validation, magic byte verification, or extension blocking. Also check for any web application firewall or middleware validation.Affected if No server-side validation is implemented, or the validation can be easily bypassed (e.g., client-side only, weak allowlist)
The environment is affected if Employee Records System v1.0 is deployed with the uploadID.php endpoint accessible without authentication and without proper server-side file validation, especially if uploads are stored in a web-accessible location.
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 dataDisable the uploadID.php endpoint immediately, or implement strict server-side allowlist-based file type validation, store uploads outside the webroot, disable script execution in the upload directory, and add authentication requirements.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-4462 — 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-2021-4462 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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