CVE-2021-20538Network attack vector

Unauthorized data access and actions

Published May 10, 2021 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Incorrect authorization in IBM Cloud Pak for Security 1.5.0.0 and 1.5.0.1 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information or perform unauthorized actions. The specific authorization mechanism and affected component are not publicly disclosed in IBM's advisory or the CVE record. The issue is reachable over the network without required privileges or user interaction, and its bounded impact is unauthorized information disclosure and integrity-affecting actions without reported availability loss.

CVSS severity9.1
Critical
EPSS probability0.74%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect authorization in IBM Cloud Pak for Security 1.5.0.0 and 1.5.0.1 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information or perform unauthorized actions. The specific authorization mechanism and affected component are not publicly disclosed in IBM's advisory or the CVE record. The issue is reachable over the network without required privileges or user interaction, and its bounded impact is unauthorized information disclosure and integrity-affecting actions without reported availability loss.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-20538
Published
May 10, 2021
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
IBM Cloud Pak for Security
Classifications
CWE-863
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 10, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 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=1.5.0.0
  2. Affected versionversion=1.5.0.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · IBM Cloud Pak for Securityversion=1.5.0.0; version=1.5.0.1

Published CVSS scores

9.1NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
4.8IBMCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
6.4NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-863Incorrect Authorization

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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