CVE-2021-38427Network attack vector

Code execution via XML parser stack overflow

Published May 5, 2022 · Updated Apr 16, 2025

Stack buffer overflow in RTI Connext DDS Professional and Secure 4.2.x through 6.1.0 allows attackers to execute code via crafted XML. The XML parser processes attacker-controlled document data into a stack buffer without enforcing a safe size bound. Unprotected applications are remotely reachable; Security Plugins restrict exploitation to local users, with a crash or code execution under application privileges.

CVSS severity6.6
Medium
EPSS probability0.56%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Stack buffer overflow in RTI Connext DDS Professional and Secure 4.2.x through 6.1.0 allows attackers to execute code via crafted XML. The XML parser processes attacker-controlled document data into a stack buffer without enforcing a safe size bound. Unprotected applications are remotely reachable; Security Plugins restrict exploitation to local users, with a crash or code execution under application privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-38427
Published
May 5, 2022
Updated
Apr 16, 2025
Vendor
Real-Time Innovations
Product
RTI Connext DDS Professional
Classifications
CWE-121, CWE-787, T1203
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 5, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 16, 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=4.2x <=6.1.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Real-Time Innovations · RTI Connext DDS Professionalversion=4.2x <=6.1.0
Real-Time Innovations · RTI Connext DDS Secureversion=4.2x <=6.1.0

Published CVSS scores

4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.6Real-Time InnovationsCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.6ICS-CERTCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-121Stack-based Buffer Overflow
CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

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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