CVE-2021-28128Network attack vector

Account takeover via password change without verification

Published May 6, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Weak password recovery in Strapi through 3.6.0 allows remote authenticated users with a valid session to take over accounts via the admin panel. The admin password-change function accepts a new password without verifying the current password, so possession of a valid session is sufficient to replace the account credential. This requires an attacker to obtain an authenticated session; the documented consequence is account takeover and potential lockout of the legitimate user.

CVSS severity8.1
High
EPSS probability1.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Weak password recovery in Strapi through 3.6.0 allows remote authenticated users with a valid session to take over accounts via the admin panel. The admin password-change function accepts a new password without verifying the current password, so possession of a valid session is sufficient to replace the account credential. This requires an attacker to obtain an authenticated session; the documented consequence is account takeover and potential lockout of the legitimate user.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-28128
Published
May 6, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-640, T1098
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 6, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:N
8.1NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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.

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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-640Weak Password Recovery Mechanism for Forgotten Password
T1098Account Manipulation

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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