Cyber Resilience

CVE-2021-42013

Path Traversal in Oracle Instantis Enterprisetrack 17.1 … 17.3

CISA KEVActive ExploitationEUVD ExploitedPublic PoCRansomware-linkedPath Traversal
Published
07 October 2021
Modified
27 October 2025
KEV Added
03 November 2021
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 9.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.99 100.0th percentile
Risk Priority 97 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2021-42013 is a critical-severity Path Traversal (CWE-22) vulnerability in Oracle Instantis Enterprisetrack. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 0.0% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2021-42013 is a path traversal vulnerability affecting Apache HTTP Server versions 2.4.49 and 2.4.50. It stems from an incomplete fix for the earlier CVE-2021-41773 issue, allowing crafted URLs to map requests to files outside directories defined by Alias-like directives. When such files lack the default "require all denied" protection and CGI scripts are enabled on the aliased paths, the flaw can lead to unauthorized file access or remote code execution. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 score of 9.8 and is also associated with CWE-22.

Unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit the issue over the network by sending specially formed HTTP requests that bypass directory restrictions. Successful exploitation grants access to sensitive files on the server or, in configurations permitting CGI execution, arbitrary command execution with the privileges of the web server process.

Public references, including JVN advisory JVN51106450 and multiple PacketStorm entries, document exploit code and technical details for Apache 2.4.49/2.4.50, confirming active research and proof-of-concept availability shortly after disclosure.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A01:2025 Broken Access Control

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

It was found that the fix for CVE-2021-41773 in Apache HTTP Server 2.4.50 was insufficient. An attacker could use a path traversal attack to map URLs to files outside the directories configured by Alias-like directives. If files outside of these…

more

directories are not protected by the usual default configuration "require all denied", these requests can succeed. If CGI scripts are also enabled for these aliased pathes, this could allow for remote code execution. This issue only affects Apache 2.4.49 and Apache 2.4.50 and not earlier versions.

CWE(s)
CWE-22NVD-CWE-Other
KEV Date Added
03 November 2021

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2021-41773Same product: Apache Http Serverboth on KEV
CVE-2019-7194Same product class: NAS / storage applianceboth on KEV
CVE-2019-7195Same product class: NAS / storage applianceboth on KEV
CVE-2023-27534Same product: Fedoraproject Fedora
CVE-2023-27311Same product class: NAS / storage appliance
CVE-2025-54160Same product class: NAS / storage appliance
CVE-2025-62851Same product class: NAS / storage appliance
CVE-2024-47263Same product class: NAS / storage appliance
CVE-2025-62855Same product class: NAS / storage appliance
CVE-2025-33038Same product class: NAS / storage appliance

Affected Assets

apache
http server
2.4.49, 2.4.50
fedoraproject
fedora
34, 35
oracle
instantis enterprisetrack
17.1, 17.2, 17.3
oracle
jd edwards enterpriseone tools
≤ 9.2.6.0
oracle
secure backup
≤ 18.1.0.1.0
netapp
cloud backup
all versions

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

—

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V5.3.2

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

SI-10 Information Input Validation
addresses: CWE-22

Validates pathnames and filenames to prevent traversal outside intended directories.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Patching/maintenance can remediate known path-traversal flaws in deployed software (partial prevention of exploitability) but does nothing to stop the coding defect from being introduced in the first place.

PR.AA-05 none match
prevents

PR.AA-05 defines and reviews access policies but does not address code-level pathname neutralization, so neither direction prevents CWE-22.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing in development catches path traversal via static/dynamic analysis.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure SDLC mandates input validation and path sanitization that directly prevent path traversal.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
prevents

Application security requirements include rules for safe file handling and canonicalization.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
prevents

Secure architecture principles require least-privilege file access and directory isolation.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding standards explicitly forbid unsafe path construction and mandate safe APIs.

A.8.3 Information access restriction partial match
mitigates

Information access restriction limits which files an application may read or write.

References