Evidence used
- No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
- EPSS is 2.22% for the current model date.
BlackTreeCVE IntelligenceFull vulnerability report · 2022
CVE-2021-22794High confidence
A CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability exists that could cause remote code execution
Schneider Electric · StruxureWare Data Center Expert
9.1CriticalCVSS 3.1
Patch only the product branches with a verified fix
Fix availability varies by productCritical technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance. Verified remediation exists for at least one product or source, but 1 structured product or package state remain unresolved. Apply remediation only to the exact product branch confirmed by its source.
R
Open reassessment dashboard →Operational reassessment
Published severity in operational context
Published severityCritical→Operational priority:Critical, unchanged from published severity.unchanged
Compensating controls
- Apply the linked authoritative mitigation while planning the permanent fix.
- Restrict the affected network interface to trusted sources where business-safe.
- Monitor vendor guidance and exploitation sources for a material change.
Verification
- Confirm that the asset runs Schneider Electric StruxureWare Data Center Expert and falls inside the recorded affected range.
- Recheck the vendor advisory before scheduling a change because no verified fixed version is currently retained.
- Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
- Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Remediation availability differs by product scope
Verified remediation exists for at least one product or source, but 1 structured product or package state remain unresolved. Apply remediation only to the exact product branch confirmed by its source.
- Schneider Electric CPCERT: 1 affected or under-investigation product state without a fixed product state in the same current advisory
Direct vendor intelligence
1 currentAuthoritative vendor CSAF and VEX advisories
Structured product status and remediation from the issuing vendor. Product-state explanations are always visible; large lists can be searched or downloaded.
SEVD-2021-257-03 · CSAF 2.0 · revision 1.0.0 · finalSchneider Electric CPCERTStruxureWare Data Center Expert
The vendor explicitly identifies these products as affected by this CVE.
- Schneider Electric StruxureWare Data Center Expert 7.8.1 and prior.
- Summary
- A CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability exists that could cause remote code execution.
- Remediation
- Schneider Electric has established a remediation plan for future versions of StruxureWare Data Center Expert that will include a fix for these vulnerabilities. We will update this document when the remediation is available. Until then, customers should immediately follow security hardening guidelines found in https://dcimsupport.ecostruxureit.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039289633-Data-Center-Expert-Security-Handbook to reduce the risk of exploit.
Critical technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance. Verified remediation exists for at least one product or source, but 1 structured product or package state remain unresolved. Apply remediation only to the exact product branch confirmed by its source.
Fix availability varies by product01
What, why and how
A CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability exists that could cause remote code execution. Affected Product: StruxureWare Data Center Expert (V7.8.1 and prior)
What
A CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability exists that could cause remote code execution. Affected Product: StruxureWare Data Center Expert (V7.8.1 and prior)
Why
Attacker-controlled path data is not constrained to the intended directory before the application accesses a file.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation with elevated privileges. If successful, the issue may execute code or commands in the affected security context.
What
A CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability exists that could cause remote code execution. Affected Product: StruxureWare Data Center Expert (V7.8.1 and prior)
Why
Attacker-controlled path data is not constrained to the intended directory before the application accesses a file.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation with elevated privileges. If successful, the issue may execute code or commands in the affected security context.
02
Exploit reality and attack path
CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.
Observed exploitation No confirmed evidence
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.
Public PoC / exploit material None recorded
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.
- Likely attack path
- a network path → Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') → execute code or commands in the affected security context
- Attack surface
- Network
- Privileges required
- High: elevated access is required
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
- Security boundary
- Changed: exploitation can affect a different security authority
- Weakness
?
CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness. - CWE-22 ↗
CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal'). The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.
- CVSS vector
?
CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:HCommon Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.PRHighPrivileges required: The attacker needs elevated or administrative privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SChangedScope: The attack can affect a component governed by a different security authority.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.AHighAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.- Post-exploitation / living off the land
- After compromise, an attacker may use built-in shells, scripting engines, scheduled tasks and native network utilities for discovery, persistence or movement. This is a plausible LoTL path, not evidence that it has occurred for every attack.
03
Patch and workaround
Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.
- Status
?
Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change. - Fix availability varies by product
- Action
- Use the product-specific evidence above. Patch only products with a verified fixed release, and keep every affected or under-investigation state without a matching fix in the remediation queue.
- Workaround
- Schneider Electric has established a remediation plan for future versions of StruxureWare Data Center Expert that will include a fix for these vulnerabilities. We will update this document when the remediation is available. Until then, customers should immediately follow security hardening guidelines found in https://dcimsupport.ecostruxureit.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039289633-Data-Center-Expert-Security-Handbook to reduce the risk of exploit.
04
Evidence and provenance
Published 28 Mar 2022 · Last source change 3 Aug 2024, 18:51 UTC · CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1
CVSS sourceCNA
EPSS source FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
?
The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2021-9929
Product sourceVendor CSAF · Schneider Electric CPCERT
Remediation sourceVendor CSAF · Schneider Electric CPCERT
CWE sourceCNA
NVD statusNVD modified after enrichment
Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.
Material change intelligence
View recent updates ↗What changed after publication
No material field changes have been recorded since change tracking began. Routine source refreshes and cosmetic edits are intentionally excluded.
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
- CVE
- Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
- CVSS
- Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
- EPSS
- Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
- CWE
- Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
- CNA
- CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
- CISA ADP
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
- NVD
- National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
- CERT / CSIRT
- A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
- PoC
- Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
- CSAF
- Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
- LoTL
- Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.