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Fencer Vulns
high 8.1

CVE-2021-41242 json

Path Traversal in some REST methods leading to file upload to arbitrary places

published 2021-12-10 4 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2021-28296

cvss
8.1
version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
1.5%
EPSS 1.5% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 74%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

OpenOlat is a web-basedlearning management system. A path traversal vulnerability exists in OpenOlat prior to versions 15.5.12 and 16.0.5. By providing a filename that contains a relative path as a parameter in some REST methods, it is possible to create directory structures and write files anywhere on the target system. The attack could be used to write files anywhere in the web root folder or outside, depending on the configuration of the system and the properly configured permission of the application server user. The attack requires an OpenOlat user account, an enabled REST API and the rights on a business object to call the vulnerable REST calls. The problem is fixed in version 15.5.12 and 16.0.5. There is a workaround available. The vulnerability requires the REST module to be enabled. Disabling the REST module or limiting the REST module via some firewall or web-server access rules to be accessed only be trusted systems will mitigate the risk.

Patch / fix

  • frentix openolat 15.5.12, 16.0.5

Exploit prediction

1.49% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 74% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CNA 3.1 8.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
NVD 3.1 8.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
NVD 2.0 7.9 AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:N/I:C/A:C

Affected products

  • OpenOLAT OpenOLAT

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-23 Relative Path Traversal
  • CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory

References

Sources

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.