CVE-2021-38295

Administrator privilege escalation via stored HTML scripts

Published Oct 14, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Stored cross-site scripting in Apache CouchDB before 3.1.2 allows attackers to gain administrator privileges through HTML content. Attachment, _show, and _list responses serve attacker-controlled HTML without a protective Content-Security-Policy, so embedded JavaScript runs in the security context of an administrator who opens it. The attacker needs document-creation permission and administrator interaction; successful execution can add or remove database data or change configuration.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability2.51%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Stored cross-site scripting in Apache CouchDB before 3.1.2 allows attackers to gain administrator privileges through HTML content. Attachment, _show, and _list responses serve attacker-controlled HTML without a protective Content-Security-Policy, so embedded JavaScript runs in the security context of an administrator who opens it. The attacker needs document-creation permission and administrator interaction; successful execution can add or remove database data or change configuration.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-38295
Published
Oct 14, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
The Apache Software Foundation
Product
Apache CouchDB
Classifications
CWE-79, T1204.002
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 14, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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=Apache CouchDB <3.1.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Apache Software Foundation · Apache CouchDBversion=Apache CouchDB <3.1.2

Published CVSS scores

6.0NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseAV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.3NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/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)
VectorUnavailable
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-79Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
T1204.002Malicious File

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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