Is CVE-2021-38159 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2021-38159 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2021-38159 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2021-38159 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-38159?

CVE-2021-38159 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

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CRITICAL

CVE-2021-38159

CWE-89Published: August 7, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

9.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

In certain Progress MOVEit Transfer versions before 2021.0.4 (aka 13.0.4), SQL injection in the MOVEit Transfer web application could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to gain access to the database. Depending on the database engine being used (MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, or Azure SQL), an attacker may be able to infer information about the structure and contents of the database, or execute SQL statements that alter or delete database elements, via crafted strings sent to unique MOVEit Transfer transaction types. The fixed versions are 2019.0.8 (11.0.8), 2019.1.7 (11.1.7), 2019.2.4 (11.2.4), 2020.0.7 (12.0.7), 2020.1.6 (12.1.6), and 2021.0.4 (13.0.4).

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2021-38159 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

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 9.8.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-89): SQL injection vulnerabilities allow attackers to manipulate database queries, potentially exposing or modifying sensitive data.