CVE-2021-25940Network attack vector

Authenticated access persistence via password-independent JWTs

Published Nov 16, 2021 · Updated Apr 30, 2025

Insufficient session expiration in ArangoDB 3.7.6 through 3.8.3 allows remote authenticated users to retain access after password changes. RestAuthHandler issues JWTs tied only to a username and shared server secret, with a fixed 30-day lifetime and no password-derived state that a password change can revoke. An attacker needs a previously issued session token, which retains the user's existing database privileges until expiration.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.81%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Insufficient session expiration in ArangoDB 3.7.6 through 3.8.3 allows remote authenticated users to retain access after password changes. RestAuthHandler issues JWTs tied only to a username and shared server secret, with a fixed 30-day lifetime and no password-derived state that a password change can revoke. An attacker needs a previously issued session token, which retains the user's existing database privileges until expiration.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-25940
Published
Nov 16, 2021
Updated
Apr 30, 2025
Vendor
ArangoDB
Product
ArangoDB
Classifications
CWE-613, T1078
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 16, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 30, 2025Record 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=unspecified <=v3.8.3
  2. Affected versionversion=v3.7.6 <unspecified

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

ArangoDB · ArangoDBversion=unspecified <=v3.8.3; version=v3.7.6 <unspecified

Published CVSS scores

8.0NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8MendCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-613Insufficient Session Expiration
T1078Valid Accounts

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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