CVE-2021-20439Network attack vector

Credential disclosure via cleartext storage

Published Jul 15, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Cleartext credential storage in IBM Security Access Manager 9.0 and IBM Security Verify Access Docker 10.0.0 allows remote attackers to read credentials. The products store user credentials without cryptographic protection, but IBM has not disclosed the component, storage location, or request path that exposes them. No authentication or user interaction is required, and the documented consequence is credential disclosure without data modification or service interruption.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Cleartext credential storage in IBM Security Access Manager 9.0 and IBM Security Verify Access Docker 10.0.0 allows remote attackers to read credentials. The products store user credentials without cryptographic protection, but IBM has not disclosed the component, storage location, or request path that exposes them. No authentication or user interaction is required, and the documented consequence is credential disclosure without data modification or service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-20439
Published
Jul 15, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
IBM Security Verify Access
Classifications
CWE-522, T1555
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 15, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=9.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · IBM Security Verify Accessversion=9.0
IBM · IBM Security Verify Access Dockerversion=10.0.0

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
7.5IBM CorporationCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
5.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-522Insufficiently Protected Credentials
T1555Credentials from Password Stores

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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