Exploited vulnerability · CISA KEV

Is CVE-2021-38163 exploited? Yes: in CISA KEV since 9 Jun 2022

Gociux · SAP NetWeaver · data: CISA KEV, CVE record, FIRST EPSS

Yes. CVE-2021-38163, SAP NetWeaver Unrestricted File Upload Vulnerability, is being exploited in the wild. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 9 Jun 2022, 268 days after it was published. It affects SAP NetWeaver. If you run it, CISA's required action is: Apply updates per vendor instructions.

exploitedYesCISA KEV · 9 Jun 2022

ransomwareNot knownno confirmed use

EPSStop 5%very likely to be exploited

severity9.9CVSS 3.1 · critical

US federal due30 Jun 2022BOD 22-01 deadline

What it is

SAP NetWeaver contains a vulnerability that allows unrestricted file upload.

Vendor	SAP (14 exploited CVEs in KEV)
Product	NetWeaver
Vulnerability	SAP NetWeaver Unrestricted File Upload Vulnerability
Weakness	CWE-23
Published	14 Sep 2021
Added to KEV	9 Jun 2022
Reported by (CNA)	sap

What to do

Check whether you run it. Look for NetWeaver in your asset inventory, including appliances and cloud images. Stack check lists every exploited SAP CVE at once.
Apply the fix. Apply updates per vendor instructions.
If you can't patch today, take the affected service off the internet or restrict who can reach it, and check its logs for signs of compromise since 14 Sep 2021.
Get told next time. Email alerts when CISA adds a CVE for SAP.

Other exploited CVEs in NetWeaver

CVE-2025-42999: SAP NetWeaver Deserialization Vulnerability (15 May 2025)
CVE-2025-31324: SAP NetWeaver Unrestricted File Upload Vulnerability (29 Apr 2025)
CVE-2017-12637: SAP NetWeaver Directory Traversal Vulnerability (19 Mar 2025)
CVE-2016-2386: SAP NetWeaver SQL Injection Vulnerability (9 Jun 2022)
CVE-2016-2388: SAP NetWeaver Information Disclosure Vulnerability (9 Jun 2022)
CVE-2010-5326: SAP NetWeaver Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (3 Nov 2021)

References

nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-38163

Questions

Is CVE-2021-38163 being exploited?

Yes. CISA added CVE-2021-38163 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 9 Jun 2022, which means there is reliable evidence of exploitation in the wild.

Is CVE-2021-38163 used in ransomware attacks?

CISA does not list known ransomware use for it. That can change, and exploitation alone is reason to fix it first.

How do I fix CVE-2021-38163?

Apply updates per vendor instructions. Check SAP's advisory for the fixed versions, and if you can't patch quickly, restrict access to the affected NetWeaver and watch it for signs of compromise.

Sources: CISA KEV (exploitation, ransomware use, required action, due date), the CVE record (publication date, CVSS, CNA), NVD and FIRST EPSS (live score). More: all KEV additions in June 2022 · SAP scorecard · act-now radar.

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