CVE-2021-32700Network attack vector

Code injection via unverified Central package downloads

Published Jun 22, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Code injection in WSO2 Ballerina before 1.2.14 and SL-alpha4 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to poison downloaded packages. The CLI's pull, build, and run paths used cleartext HTTP for Ballerina Central downloads, while a trust-all X509TrustManager accepted any server certificate. An attacker positioned between the CLI and Ballerina Central can replace a retrieved package, causing attacker-supplied code to enter resulting executables.

CVSS severity9.1
Critical
EPSS probability0.58%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code injection in WSO2 Ballerina before 1.2.14 and SL-alpha4 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to poison downloaded packages. The CLI's pull, build, and run paths used cleartext HTTP for Ballerina Central downloads, while a trust-all X509TrustManager accepted any server certificate. An attacker positioned between the CLI and Ballerina Central can replace a retrieved package, causing attacker-supplied code to enter resulting executables.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-32700
Published
Jun 22, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
WSO2
Product
Ballerina
Classifications
CWE-306, T1195.001, T1557
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 22, 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=< 1.2.14
  2. Affected versionversion=< SL-alpha4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

WSO2 · Ballerinaversion=< 1.2.14; version=< SL-alpha4

Published CVSS scores

9.1GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
7.4NISTCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
5.8NISTAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/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-306Missing Authentication for Critical Function
T1195.001Compromise Software Dependencies and Development Tools
T1557Adversary-in-the-Middle

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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