CVE-2021-3652Network attack vector

Authentication bypass via short CRYPT hashes

Published Apr 18, 2022 · Updated Nov 3, 2025

Authentication bypass in 389-ds-base 2.0.7 and earlier allows remote attackers to authenticate as users whose passwords are disabled. The crypt_pw_cmp routine accepts a one-character asterisk hash and compares only the salt, so any supplied password matches. Exploitation requires an imported locked CRYPT hash and network access to the LDAP bind interface; the result is unauthorized account access without service interruption.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.49%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authentication bypass in 389-ds-base 2.0.7 and earlier allows remote attackers to authenticate as users whose passwords are disabled. The crypt_pw_cmp routine accepts a one-character asterisk hash and compares only the salt, so any supplied password matches. Exploitation requires an imported locked CRYPT hash and network access to the LDAP bind interface; the result is unauthorized account access without service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3652
Published
Apr 18, 2022
Updated
Nov 3, 2025
Vendor
389 Directory Server
Product
389 Directory Server
Classifications
CWE-287, T1078
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 18, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 3, 2025Record 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=389-ds-base 2.0.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

389 Directory Server · 389 Directory Serverversion=389-ds-base 2.0.7

Published CVSS scores

6.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
6.4NVDAV:N/AC:L/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.

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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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-287Improper Authentication
T1078Valid Accounts

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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