CVE-2021-42237: Sitecore XP Remote Command Execution Vulnerability

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

Name

Sitecore XP Remote Command Execution Vulnerability

Vendor

Sitecore

Product

XP

Added to the catalog

2022-03-25

Due date for US federal agencies

2022-04-15

Weaknesses

CWE-502

Catalog version

2026.10.30

Sitcore XP contains an insecure deserialization vulnerability which can allow for remote code execution.

Required action (CISA)

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Ransomware use: CISA marks this vulnerability as known to be used in ransomware campaigns. CISA does not say which group used it.

Links in CISA's notes

• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-42237

Read on 2026-11-02T23:39:54.475Z under licence cisa-kev-cc0@b0067899 from https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json

NVD analysis

Status

Analyzed

Published

2021-11-05T10:15:08.240

Last modified

2026-07-09T13:57:14.483

Weaknesses

CWE-502

Sitecore XP 7.5 Initial Release to Sitecore XP 8.2 Update-7 is vulnerable to an insecure deserialization attack where it is possible to achieve remote command execution on the machine. No authentication or special configuration is required to exploit this vulnerability.

References

• http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164988/Sitecore-Experience-Platform-XP-Remote-Code-Execution.html (Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• https://blog.assetnote.io/2021/11/02/sitecore-rce/ (Exploit, Third Party Advisory)
• https://support.sitecore.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB1000776 (Vendor Advisory)
• http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164988/Sitecore-Experience-Platform-XP-Remote-Code-Execution.html (Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• https://blog.assetnote.io/2021/11/02/sitecore-rce/ (Exploit, Third Party Advisory)
• https://support.sitecore.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB1000776 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-42237 (US Government Resource)

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.

Read on 2026-11-02T23:41:59.479Z under licence nvd-api-terms-of-use@ff2a5288 from https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?cveId=CVE-2021-42237

CVE record

Assigner

mitre

State

PUBLISHED

Published

2021-11-05T09:51:18.000Z

Updated

2026-07-09T00:15:11.203Z

Problem types

n/a

Sitecore XP 7.5 Initial Release to Sitecore XP 8.2 Update-7 is vulnerable to an insecure deserialization attack where it is possible to achieve remote command execution on the machine. No authentication or special configuration is required to exploit this vulnerability.

References

• https://support.sitecore.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB1000776
• https://blog.assetnote.io/2021/11/02/sitecore-rce/
• http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164988/Sitecore-Experience-Platform-XP-Remote-Code-Execution.html

Read on 2026-11-03T01:09:06.220Z under licence cve-terms-of-use@81bfa2f3 from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/main/cves/2021/42xxx/CVE-2021-42237.json

Detection rules (SigmaHQ)

SigmaHQ rules whose own tags name this CVE. Each rule page shows the rule as its author published it.

• Sitecore Pre-Auth RCE CVE-2021-42237 (status test, level high)

Defensive techniques (MITRE D3FEND)

D3FEND maps these defensive techniques to the weakness (CWE) that NVD lists for this CVE, through the digital artifacts the weakness affects. D3FEND does not say they stop this vulnerability.

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