CVE-2021-28164Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Unauthenticated file disclosure via encoded dot segments

Published Apr 1, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Path traversal in Eclipse Jetty 9.4.37.v20210219 through 9.4.38.v20210224 allows remote attackers to read WEB-INF files. The default HttpCompliance mode excludes percent-encoded dot and dot-dot segments from URI normalization before Servlet path protection is applied. An unauthenticated network request is sufficient when the default compliance mode is active, exposing deployment descriptors and other protected application resources without permitting modification or service interruption.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability82.37%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in Eclipse Jetty 9.4.37.v20210219 through 9.4.38.v20210224 allows remote attackers to read WEB-INF files. The default HttpCompliance mode excludes percent-encoded dot and dot-dot segments from URI normalization before Servlet path protection is applied. An unauthenticated network request is sufficient when the default compliance mode is active, exposing deployment descriptors and other protected application resources without permitting modification or service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-28164
Published
Apr 1, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
The Eclipse Foundation
Product
Eclipse Jetty
Classifications
CWE-200, CWE-551, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 1, 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=9.4.37.v20210219 <unspecified
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=9.4.38.v20210224

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Eclipse Foundation · Eclipse Jettyversion=9.4.37.v20210219 <unspecified; version=unspecified <=9.4.38.v20210224

Published CVSS scores

5.3GitHub Advisory DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/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.

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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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-200Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor
CWE-551Incorrect Behavior Order: Authorization Before Parsing and Canonicalization
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

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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