CVE-2021-3716Network attack vector

Client session termination via cached pre-TLS option

Published Mar 2, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Message-integrity failure in nbdkit 1.12 through 1.26.4 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to terminate an NBD client session. The newstyle handshake caches an injected plaintext NBD_OPT_STRUCTURED_REPLY across STARTTLS, causing later reads to receive unexpected structured replies. Exploitation requires opportunistic TLS, an on-path attacker, and a client that does not understand structured replies; the consequence is loss of the affected NBD session.

CVSS severity3.1
Low
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

Message-integrity failure in nbdkit 1.12 through 1.26.4 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to terminate an NBD client session. The newstyle handshake caches an injected plaintext NBD_OPT_STRUCTURED_REPLY across STARTTLS, causing later reads to receive unexpected structured replies. Exploitation requires opportunistic TLS, an on-path attacker, and a client that does not understand structured replies; the consequence is loss of the affected NBD session.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3716
Published
Mar 2, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
389 Directory Server
Product
nbdkit
Classifications
CWE-924, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 2, 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=Affects nbdkit v1.12 through v1.26.4 | Fixedin nbdkit v1.26.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

389 Directory Server · nbdkitversion=Affects nbdkit v1.12 through v1.26.4 | Fixedin nbdkit v1.26.5

Published CVSS scores

3.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
3.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:N/I:N/A:P

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 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-924Improper Enforcement of Message Integrity During Transmission in a Communication Channel
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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