CVE-2021-39115Network attack vector

Administrator-level code execution via email template injection

Published Sep 1, 2021 · Updated Oct 11, 2024

Server-side template injection in Atlassian Jira Service Management allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary Java code. The Email Template feature evaluates attacker-controlled template expressions as Java code or system commands instead of treating them only as template data. Access requires the Jira Administrators permission, after which injected expressions run with the Jira application process's privileges.

CVSS severity7.2
High
EPSS probability4.48%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Server-side template injection in Atlassian Jira Service Management allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary Java code. The Email Template feature evaluates attacker-controlled template expressions as Java code or system commands instead of treating them only as template data. Access requires the Jira Administrators permission, after which injected expressions run with the Jira application process's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-39115
Published
Sep 1, 2021
Updated
Oct 11, 2024
Vendor
Atlassian
Product
Jira Service Management Server
Classifications
CWE-94, T1059
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 1, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 11, 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=4.14.0 <unspecified
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <4.13.9
  3. Affected versionversion=unspecified <4.18.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Atlassian · Jira Service Management Serverversion=4.14.0 <unspecified; version=unspecified <4.13.9; version=unspecified <4.18.0
Atlassian · Jira Service Management Data Centerversion=4.14.0 <unspecified; version=unspecified <4.13.9; version=unspecified <4.18.0
Atlassian · Jira Service Managementversion=0 <4.13.9; version=4.14.0 <4.18.0

Published CVSS scores

9.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.2NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

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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