CVE-2021-3850Network attack vector

Authentication bypass via prequoted connection parameters

Published Jan 25, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Authentication bypass in ADOdb 5.20.20 and earlier and 5.21.0 through 5.21.3 allows remote attackers to alter PostgreSQL connections. In drivers/adodb-postgres64.inc.php, adodb_addslashes treats any value enclosed in single quotes as already escaped and returns it unchanged. Reachability depends on client software passing attacker-controlled parameters to connect, nConnect, or pConnect; successful abuse bypasses database login and can expose or modify data.

CVSS severity9.1
Critical
EPSS probability2.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Authentication bypass in ADOdb 5.20.20 and earlier and 5.21.0 through 5.21.3 allows remote attackers to alter PostgreSQL connections. In drivers/adodb-postgres64.inc.php, adodb_addslashes treats any value enclosed in single quotes as already escaped and returns it unchanged. Reachability depends on client software passing attacker-controlled parameters to connect, nConnect, or pConnect; successful abuse bypasses database login and can expose or modify data.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3850
Published
Jan 25, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
ADOdb
Product
ADOdb
Classifications
CWE-305, CWE-287
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 25, 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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <5.20.21

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

ADOdb · ADOdbversion=unspecified <5.20.21

Published CVSS scores

6.4NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N
9.1huntr.devCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
9.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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.

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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-305Authentication Bypass by Primary Weakness
CWE-287Improper Authentication

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo