Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This affects SolarWinds Orion Platform 2020.2.6 and earlier. A high-privileged actor could use the Alerts Settings import path to make ExportToPdfCmd read files it should not, exposing sensitive information from the Orion environment.
Executive priority
Treat as a moderate remediation item with higher priority for sensitive monitoring environments. Orion often has broad infrastructure visibility, so file disclosure from a privileged foothold can materially worsen an intrusion.
Technical view
CVE-2021-35219 is an arbitrary file read information disclosure issue in ExportToPdfCmd, triggered through the ImportAlert function on the Alerts Settings page. CVSS 3.1 is 6.0 with local attack vector, low complexity, high privileges, changed scope, and high confidentiality impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to organizations running SolarWinds Orion Platform 2020.2.6 or earlier where an attacker already has high privileges and local/contextual access described by the CVSS vector.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or cited evidence of active exploitation. The main risk is sensitive file disclosure after privilege compromise, not initial unauthenticated network entry.
Researcher notes
Evidence is strongest for affected version, vulnerable component, CVSS, and vendor references. The bundle does not include CWE mapping, exploit proof, IOC detail, or independent exploitation reports, so avoid claims beyond information disclosure under high-privilege conditions.
Mitigation direction
- Review SolarWinds advisory CVE-2021-35219 guidance.
- Apply Orion Platform 2020.2.6 Hotfix 1 or vendor-recommended successor updates.
- Review SolarWinds mitigation article before delaying patching.
- Harden Orion using SolarWinds secure configuration guidance.
- Restrict high-privilege Orion administrative access.
Validation and detection
- Inventory all Orion Platform versions and installed hotfixes.
- Confirm affected systems are newer than 2020.2.6 or patched.
- Review who can access Alerts Settings and ImportAlert functionality.
- Check administrative activity for unusual alert import or PDF export behavior.
- Document patch status and any compensating controls.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
File access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references file access or upload behavior, so file telemetry and web shell review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-35219 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 6 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N1.54Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
6MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.solarwinds.com/trust-center/security-advisories/cve-2021-35219CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://support.solarwinds.com/SuccessCenter/s/article/Mitigate-the-ExportToPdfCmd-Arbitrary-File-Read-Information-Disclosure-CVE-2021-35219?language=en_USCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://documentation.solarwinds.com/en/success_center/orionplatform/content/core-secure-configuration.htmCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://support.solarwinds.com/SuccessCenter/s/article/Orion-Platform-2020-2-6-Hotfix-1?language=en_USCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.