LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2021-20361: IBM Cloud Pak for Applications 4.3 is vulnerable to cross-site scripting.

IBM Cloud Pak for Applications 4.3 is vulnerable to cross-site scripting. This vulnerability allows users to embed arbitrary JavaScript code in the Web UI thus altering the intended functionality potentially leading to credentials disclosure within a trusted session. IBM X-Force ID: 195032.

MediumCVSS 5.4Not KEV-listedUpdated
Discuss exposureBack to CVEs
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

IBM Cloud Pak for Applications 4.3 has a cross-site scripting flaw in its Web UI. An authenticated user could embed JavaScript that changes page behavior and may expose credentials inside a trusted session. Business risk is moderate because exploitation requires privileges and user interaction, but affected administrative interfaces can still be sensitive.

Executive priority

Treat as a scheduled remediation item unless the affected Web UI is broadly accessible or used for privileged administration. Prioritize inventory first, then follow IBM guidance. The evidence supports moderate urgency, not emergency response.

Technical view

CVE-2021-20361 is an XSS issue in IBM Cloud Pak for Applications 4.3. CVSS 3.0 is 5.4 with network attack vector, low complexity, low privileges required, user interaction required, changed scope, low confidentiality and integrity impact, and no availability impact. IBM X-Force tracks it as ID 195032.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to organizations running IBM Cloud Pak for Applications 4.3, especially where the Web UI is reachable by multiple authenticated users. The source bundle does not identify other affected versions or products.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation evidence. The CVSS vector indicates the attack is network-reachable but requires low privileges and user interaction. The described outcome is credential disclosure or UI manipulation within a trusted session.

Researcher notes

Do not broaden affected scope beyond IBM Cloud Pak for Applications 4.3 without vendor evidence. The bundle names XSS and credential disclosure potential but does not provide affected components, payload details, or complete remediation text.

Mitigation direction

  • Identify any IBM Cloud Pak for Applications 4.3 deployments.
  • Review IBM advisory 6471269 for vendor-stated remediation.
  • Apply IBM-recommended fixes or mitigations from the advisory.
  • Restrict Web UI access to trusted users and networks.
  • Monitor for suspicious UI changes or credential prompts.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm deployed Cloud Pak for Applications versions.
  • Check whether any environment remains on version 4.3.
  • Verify IBM advisory remediation is applied.
  • Review access controls for the Web UI.
  • Look for unusual embedded script content in user-controlled UI fields.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
4

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2021-20361 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.4 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/C:L/S:C/AC:L/I:L/A:N/PR:L/UI:R/E:H/RC:C/RL:O

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
3Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
5.4CVSS 3.0MediumCVSS:3.0/AV:N/C:L/S:C/AC:L/I:L/A:N/PR:L/UI:R/E:H/RC:C/RL:O2.32.7Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

5.4Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-20361Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/C:L/S:C/AC:L/I:L/A:N/PR:L/UI:R/E:H/RC:C/RL:O

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
IBMCloud Pak for Applications4.3Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.