CVE-2021-39046Network attack vector

Credential disclosure via Sync Settings browser response

Published Mar 18, 2022 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Cleartext credential exposure in IBM workflow products allows remote authenticated users to read passwords through the Process Admin Console. The Sync Settings operation sends a configured password to the browser instead of withholding the stored secret. Administrative access is required; affected releases are Business Automation Workflow 18.0 through 21.0.3 and Business Process Manager 8.5 through 8.6.

CVSS severity4.9
Medium
EPSS probability0.93%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Cleartext credential exposure in IBM workflow products allows remote authenticated users to read passwords through the Process Admin Console. The Sync Settings operation sends a configured password to the browser instead of withholding the stored secret. Administrative access is required; affected releases are Business Automation Workflow 18.0 through 21.0.3 and Business Process Manager 8.5 through 8.6.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-39046
Published
Mar 18, 2022
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
Business Automation Workflow
Classifications
T1552
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 18, 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=18.0.0.0
  2. Affected versionversion=18.0.0.1
  3. Affected versionversion=18.0.0.2
  4. Affected versionversion=19.0.0.1
  5. Affected versionversion=19.0.0.2
  6. Affected versionversion=19.0.0.3
  7. Affected versionversion=20.0.0.1
  8. Affected versionversion=20.0.0.2
  9. Affected versionversion=21.0.2
  10. Affected versionversion=21.0.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

IBM · Business Automation Workflowversion=18.0.0.0; version=18.0.0.1; version=18.0.0.2; version=19.0.0.1; version=19.0.0.2; version=19.0.0.3; version=20.0.0.1; version=20.0.0.2; version=21.0.2; version=21.0.3
IBM · Business Process Managerversion=8.5; version=8.6

Published CVSS scores

4.9IBMCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1552Unsecured Credentials

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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