CVE-2021-20482Network attack vector

Data disclosure and memory exhaustion via XXE

Published Mar 30, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

XXE in IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation 20.0.2 and 20.0.3 IF002 allows remote authenticated users to read sensitive data. The tw.system.serializer.fromXml JavaScript API parses attacker-controlled XML with insecure external-entity features enabled, causing resolution of external resources. Low-privileged application access is required; successful requests disclose sensitive information, while entity expansion can consume memory and interrupt service.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability1.40%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

XXE in IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation 20.0.2 and 20.0.3 IF002 allows remote authenticated users to read sensitive data. The tw.system.serializer.fromXml JavaScript API parses attacker-controlled XML with insecure external-entity features enabled, causing resolution of external resources. Low-privileged application access is required; successful requests disclose sensitive information, while entity expansion can consume memory and interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-20482
Published
Mar 30, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation
Classifications
CWE-611, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 30, 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=20.0.2
  2. Affected versionversion=20.0.3.IF002

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automationversion=20.0.2; version=20.0.3.IF002

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:N/A:P
7.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:L
6.2IBMCVSS:3.0/S:U/PR:L/I:N/AC:L/UI:N/A:L/AV:N/C:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C
7.1IBMCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:L

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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-611Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

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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