CVE-2021-29481Network attack vector

Sensitive session disclosure via unencrypted cookies

Published Jun 29, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Cleartext storage in Ratpack before 1.9.0 allows attackers to read sensitive client-side session data from leaked cookies. ClientSideSessionConfig leaves secretKey unset by default, causing ClientSideSessionModule to select NoCrypto while still signing serialized session data. Exposure requires an application to store sensitive data in client-side sessions and a separate means of obtaining the session cookie, such as XSS.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.46%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Cleartext storage in Ratpack before 1.9.0 allows attackers to read sensitive client-side session data from leaked cookies. ClientSideSessionConfig leaves secretKey unset by default, causing ClientSideSessionModule to select NoCrypto while still signing serialized session data. Exposure requires an application to store sensitive data in client-side sessions and a separate means of obtaining the session cookie, such as XSS.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-29481
Published
Jun 29, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Ratpack
Product
Ratpack
Classifications
CWE-922, CWE-312, T1539
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 29, 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=< 1.9.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Ratpack · Ratpackversion=< 1.9.0

Published CVSS scores

6.5GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
7.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
5.0NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-922Insecure Storage of Sensitive Information
CWE-312Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information
T1539Steal Web Session Cookie

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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