CVE-2021-22530Network attack vector

Account compromise via unenforced API login lockout

Published Aug 28, 2024 · Updated Aug 28, 2024

Improper account lockout in OpenText NetIQ Advanced Authentication before 6.3.5.1 allows remote attackers to compromise user accounts. The API-based login path continues accepting authentication attempts after the configured failure threshold instead of enforcing account lockout. Repeated credential guesses against a valid account can therefore continue until credentials are found, while sustained attempts can also degrade server performance.

CVSS severity9.9
Critical
EPSS probability0.23%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper account lockout in OpenText NetIQ Advanced Authentication before 6.3.5.1 allows remote attackers to compromise user accounts. The API-based login path continues accepting authentication attempts after the configured failure threshold instead of enforcing account lockout. Repeated credential guesses against a valid account can therefore continue until credentials are found, while sustained attempts can also degrade server performance.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-22530
Published
Aug 28, 2024
Updated
Aug 28, 2024
Vendor
OpenText
Product
OpenText NetIQ Advanced Authentication
Classifications
CWE-667, CWE-307, T1110
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 28, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 28, 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=6.3.5.1 <<

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

OpenText · OpenText NetIQ Advanced Authenticationversion=6.3.5.1 <<

Published CVSS scores

8.2OpenTextCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:L
9.9NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-667Improper Locking
CWE-307Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts
T1110Brute Force

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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