CVE-2021-21270

API-key disclosure via verbose command logging

Published Jan 22, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Information disclosure in Octopus Deploy OctopusDSC 4.0.977 and earlier allows local users to read an API key from verbose output. Register-Tentacle sends its full registration argument array to Write-Verbose, while the command wrapper fails to trigger masking for --apiKey. Exposure requires Start-DscConfiguration with -Verbose, and anyone able to read its standard output can recover the server credential.

CVSS severity6.2
Medium
EPSS probability0.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Information disclosure in Octopus Deploy OctopusDSC 4.0.977 and earlier allows local users to read an API key from verbose output. Register-Tentacle sends its full registration argument array to Write-Verbose, while the command wrapper fails to trigger masking for --apiKey. Exposure requires Start-DscConfiguration with -Verbose, and anyone able to read its standard output can recover the server credential.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-21270
Published
Jan 22, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Octopus Deploy
Product
OctopusDSC
Classifications
CWE-319, T1552
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 22, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 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=< 4.0.1002

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Octopus Deploy · OctopusDSCversion=< 4.0.1002

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
2.1NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
6.2GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-319Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information
T1552Unsecured Credentials

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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