Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Kentico Xperience sites using affected 13.x builds may let a logged-in editor abuse online marketing macros to run unintended database queries. This could expose or alter database contents and disrupt service. The issue requires authenticated editor access, but the impact is high if that account is compromised or misused.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for internet-facing Kentico Xperience sites and environments with many editor accounts. The vulnerability is not unauthenticated, but a compromised editor account could create serious data confidentiality and integrity consequences. Treat as high priority for CMS owners handling customer, marketing, or transaction data.
Technical view
CVE-2021-47711 is a CWE-89 SQL injection in Kentico Xperience online marketing macro method parameters. Sources describe affected versions as Kentico Xperience <= 13.0.52. The CVSS 3.1 score is 8.8, with network access, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Organizations running Kentico Xperience, especially version 13.0.52 or earlier, with users holding editor privileges. Internet-facing CMS deployments have greater business risk because editor credentials are commonly targeted through phishing, reuse, or weak access controls.
Exploitation context
The sources indicate exploitation requires authenticated editor privileges. There is no provided evidence of public active exploitation, and the CVE is not listed as KEV in the source bundle. The main concern is privilege misuse or compromise leading to database access and manipulation through vulnerable macro inputs.
Researcher notes
Evidence is limited to the CVE record, vendor hotfix reference, and VulnCheck advisory. The bundle names Kentico Xperience <= 13.0.52, but the structured affected version field is incomplete. Do not assume exploit availability or a specific fixed build beyond vendor hotfix guidance.
Mitigation direction
- Identify all Kentico Xperience deployments and their exact hotfix level.
- Review Kentico DevNet hotfix guidance for CVE-2021-47711 applicability.
- Apply the vendor-recommended hotfix or supported upgrade path.
- Restrict editor access to trusted users with business need.
- Review editor accounts for MFA, stale access, and unusual activity.
- Back up databases before applying CMS updates.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether any deployment is Kentico Xperience 13.0.52 or earlier.
- Verify the installed Kentico hotfix level against vendor guidance.
- Check whether online marketing macros are enabled and used.
- Review audit logs for unusual editor macro activity.
- Validate remediation in a staging environment before production rollout.
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.
CWE-89: Database access and collection lookup
Injection into data stores can inform collection, data access, and exfiltration detection reviews. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupDatabase behavior lookup
The CVE wording references database injection or access, so collection and exfiltration review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-47711 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
- High
- CVSS
- 8.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H2.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- Kentico DevNet HotfixesCVE reference · vendor-advisory, patch
- VulnCheck Advisory: Kentico Xperience <= 13.0.52 Online Marketing Macros SQL InjectionCVE reference · third-party-advisory
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.
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.