CVE-2021-39038Network attack vector

Click hijacking via frame restriction failure

Published Feb 24, 2022 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Clickjacking in IBM WebSphere Application Server 9.0 and Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 22.0.0.2 allows remote attackers to hijack clicks. The affected API Discovery and OpenAPI interfaces do not adequately restrict rendering inside attacker-controlled frames. Exploitation requires a named discovery feature, low-privileged remote access, and a victim who visits a malicious site and interacts with the framed interface.

CVSS severity4.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.60%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Clickjacking in IBM WebSphere Application Server 9.0 and Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 22.0.0.2 allows remote attackers to hijack clicks. The affected API Discovery and OpenAPI interfaces do not adequately restrict rendering inside attacker-controlled frames. Exploitation requires a named discovery feature, low-privileged remote access, and a victim who visits a malicious site and interacts with the framed interface.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-39038
Published
Feb 24, 2022
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
IBM WebSphere Application Server
Classifications
CWE-1021, T1204.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 24, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 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=9.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · IBM WebSphere Application Serverversion=9.0
IBM · IBM WebSphere Application Server Libertyversion=17.0.0.3; version=22.0.0.2

Published CVSS scores

5.4NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
4.4IBMCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-1021Improper Restriction of Rendered UI Layers or Frames
T1204.001Malicious Link

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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