CVE-2021-43798
Grafana Path Traversal Vulnerability
Grafana Labs Grafana
Grafana is an open-source platform for monitoring and observability. Grafana versions 8.0.0-beta1 through 8.3.0 (except for patched versions) iss vulnerable to directory traversal, allowing access to local files. The vulnerable URL path is: `<grafana_host_url>/public/plugins//`, where is the plugin ID for any installed plugin. At no time has Grafana Cloud been vulnerable. Users are advised to upgrade to patched versions 8.0.7, 8.1.8, 8.2.7, or 8.3.1. The GitHub Security Advisory contains more information about vulnerable URL paths, mitigation, and the disclosure timeline.
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 9 October 2025. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 30 October 2025.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 88.5%, which is higher than 99.8% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2021-43798 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2021-43798.
What does CVE-2021-43798 affect?
CVE-2021-43798 affects Grafana Labs Grafana. Grafana is an open-source platform for monitoring and observability. Grafana versions 8.0.0-beta1 through 8.3.0 (except for patched versions) iss vulnerable to directory traversal, allowing access to local files. The vulnerable URL path is: `<grafana_host_url>/public/plugins//`, where is the plugin ID for any installed plugin. At no time has Grafana Cloud been vulnerable. Users are advised to upgrade to patched versions 8.0.7, 8.1.8, 8.2.7, or 8.3.1. The GitHub Security Advisory contains more information about vulnerable URL paths, mitigation, and the disclosure timeline.
How severe is CVE-2021-43798?
CVE-2021-43798 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.5. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 88.5%, higher than 99.8% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 30 October 2025.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2021-43798?
Apply the vendor patch for Grafana Labs Grafana as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.