CVE-2021-32634Network attack vector

Authenticated code execution via unsafe Java deserialization

Published May 21, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Unsafe deserialization in National Security Agency Emissary before 6.5.0 allows remote authenticated users to execute code via crafted POST data. WorkSpaceClientEnqueueAction converts the tpObj form value to ISO-8859-1 bytes and passes it to ObjectInputStream.readObject without constraining deserialized classes. A valid account with access to the POST endpoint is required; successful exploitation runs code in the Emissary server's JVM context.

CVSS severity7.2
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

Unsafe deserialization in National Security Agency Emissary before 6.5.0 allows remote authenticated users to execute code via crafted POST data. WorkSpaceClientEnqueueAction converts the tpObj form value to ISO-8859-1 bytes and passes it to ObjectInputStream.readObject without constraining deserialized classes. A valid account with access to the POST endpoint is required; successful exploitation runs code in the Emissary server's JVM context.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-32634
Published
May 21, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
National Security Agency
Product
Emissary
Classifications
CWE-502, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 21, 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=< 6.5.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

National Security Agency · Emissaryversion=< 6.5.0

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.2NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:H

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-502Deserialization of Untrusted Data
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

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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