CVE-2021-38878Network attack vector

Actor impersonation via unauthenticated key exchange

Published Apr 27, 2022 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Improper authentication in IBM QRadar SIEM 7.3, 7.4, and 7.5 allows remote attackers to impersonate another actor. The affected key exchange accepts a peer without authenticating its entity identity, allowing activity to be attributed to an impostor. No credentials or user interaction are required, but IBM rates exploitation as high complexity and reports integrity impact only.

CVSS severity5.9
Medium
EPSS probability1.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper authentication in IBM QRadar SIEM 7.3, 7.4, and 7.5 allows remote attackers to impersonate another actor. The affected key exchange accepts a peer without authenticating its entity identity, allowing activity to be attributed to an impostor. No credentials or user interaction are required, but IBM rates exploitation as high complexity and reports integrity impact only.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-38878
Published
Apr 27, 2022
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
QRadar SIEM
Classifications
T1656
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 27, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 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=7.3.3
  2. Affected versionversion=7.4.3
  3. Affected versionversion=7.5.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · QRadar SIEMversion=7.3.3; version=7.4.3; version=7.5.0

Published CVSS scores

5.2IBM CorporationCVSS:3.0/PR:N/S:U/I:H/A:N/UI:N/C:N/AV:N/AC:H/RC:C/E:U/RL:O
5.9IBM CorporationCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
5.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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

T1656Impersonation

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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