CVE-2021-3698Network attack vector

Account access via unchecked certificate revocation

Published Mar 8, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Authentication bypass in Cockpit before 260 allows remote attackers with a revoked client certificate to access a mapped user account. The certificate-login path calls SSSD's FindByCertificate API, which maps the presented certificate without checking CA trust or revocation status. Exposure requires explicitly enabled client-certificate authentication and an Identity Management mapping; successful login grants the mapped account's Cockpit access.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.68%
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 Cockpit before 260 allows remote attackers with a revoked client certificate to access a mapped user account. The certificate-login path calls SSSD's FindByCertificate API, which maps the presented certificate without checking CA trust or revocation status. Exposure requires explicitly enabled client-certificate authentication and an Identity Management mapping; successful login grants the mapped account's Cockpit access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3698
Published
Mar 8, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Cockpit Project
Product
Cockpit
Classifications
CWE-295, T1078
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 8, 2022CVE 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=cockpit versions prior to 260

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Cockpit Project · Cockpitversion=cockpit versions prior to 260

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-295Improper Certificate Validation
T1078Valid Accounts

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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