HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2021-29641
HIGH

CVE-2021-29641

CWE-434Published: April 7, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

8.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Directus 8 before 8.8.2 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code because file-upload permissions include the ability to upload a .php file to the main upload directory and/or upload a .php file and a .htaccess file to a subdirectory. Exploitation succeeds only for certain installations with the Apache HTTP Server and the local-storage driver (e.g., when the product was obtained from hub.docker.com).

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2021-29641 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 8.8.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

rangerstudio1 product(s)
directus
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162118/Monospace-Directus-Headless-CMS-File-Upload-Rule-Bypass.html
ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/Apr/14
ADVISORYhttps://hub.docker.com/layers/directus/directus/v8.8.2-apache/images/sha256-d9898b6442b0150c3c377b50e706757f35d2d563bd82ddaf97f3ae4ba450a6e6?context=explore
ADVISORYhttps://sec-consult.com/de/vulnerability-lab/advisory/arbitrary-file-upload-and-bypassing-htaccess-rules-in-monospace-directus-headless-cms/
ADVISORYhttps://sec-consult.com/vulnerability-lab/advisory/arbitrary-file-upload-and-bypassing-htaccess-rules-in-monospace-directus-headless-cms/
ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162118/Monospace-Directus-Headless-CMS-File-Upload-Rule-Bypass.html
ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/Apr/14
ADVISORYhttps://hub.docker.com/layers/directus/directus/v8.8.2-apache/images/sha256-d9898b6442b0150c3c377b50e706757f35d2d563bd82ddaf97f3ae4ba450a6e6?context=explore
ADVISORYhttps://sec-consult.com/de/vulnerability-lab/advisory/arbitrary-file-upload-and-bypassing-htaccess-rules-in-monospace-directus-headless-cms/
ADVISORYhttps://sec-consult.com/vulnerability-lab/advisory/arbitrary-file-upload-and-bypassing-htaccess-rules-in-monospace-directus-headless-cms/

All References (10)

→
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162118/Monospace-Directus-Headless-CMS-File-Upload-Rule-Bypass.htmlExploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/Apr/14Exploit · Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://hub.docker.com/layers/directus/directus/v8.8.2-apache/images/sha256-d9898b6442b0150c3c377b50e706757f35d2d563bd82ddaf97f3ae4ba450a6e6?context=exploreThird Party Advisory
→
https://sec-consult.com/de/vulnerability-lab/advisory/arbitrary-file-upload-and-bypassing-htaccess-rules-in-monospace-directus-headless-cms/Exploit · Third Party Advisory
→
https://sec-consult.com/vulnerability-lab/advisory/arbitrary-file-upload-and-bypassing-htaccess-rules-in-monospace-directus-headless-cms/Exploit · Third Party Advisory
→
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162118/Monospace-Directus-Headless-CMS-File-Upload-Rule-Bypass.htmlExploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/Apr/14Exploit · Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://hub.docker.com/layers/directus/directus/v8.8.2-apache/images/sha256-d9898b6442b0150c3c377b50e706757f35d2d563bd82ddaf97f3ae4ba450a6e6?context=exploreThird Party Advisory
→
https://sec-consult.com/de/vulnerability-lab/advisory/arbitrary-file-upload-and-bypassing-htaccess-rules-in-monospace-directus-headless-cms/Exploit · Third Party Advisory
→
https://sec-consult.com/vulnerability-lab/advisory/arbitrary-file-upload-and-bypassing-htaccess-rules-in-monospace-directus-headless-cms/Exploit · Third Party Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2021-29641
CVSS Score8.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-434
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedApr 7, 2021

Related CVEs (CWE-434)

CVE-2019-7268
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CVE-2021-42645
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CVE-2025-6327
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CVE-2019-10959
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CVE-2020-35489
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CVE-2021-38397
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Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2021-29641 in threat intel feeds
  • →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWatch. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
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