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CVE Record

CVE-2021-20379: IBM Guardium Data Encryption (GDE) 3.0.0.3 and 4.0.0.4 uses weaker than expected cryptographic algorithms t...

IBM Guardium Data Encryption (GDE) 3.0.0.3 and 4.0.0.4 uses weaker than expected cryptographic algorithms that could allow an attacker to decrypt highly sensitive information. IBM X-Force ID: 195711.

MediumCVSS 5.9Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

IBM Guardium Data Encryption may use weaker cryptography than expected, creating a risk that highly sensitive protected data could be decrypted by an attacker. The impact is confidentiality-only in the CVSS record, but the data involved may be business-critical. Public sources do not show active exploitation.

Executive priority

Schedule remediation through normal security patch governance, with escalation for systems protecting crown-jewel or regulated data. Business urgency is moderate: exploitation is not confirmed, but confidentiality impact could be severe if affected encryption protections are relied upon.

Technical view

CVE-2021-20379 affects IBM Guardium Data Encryption. The CVSS 3.0 vector is 5.9: network-reachable, no privileges or user interaction, high attack complexity, high confidentiality impact, no integrity or availability impact. The source bundle contains inconsistent affected version text, listing 3.0.0.3 in the description and 3.0.0.2 in affected metadata, plus 4.0.0.4.

Likely exposure

Exposure is likely limited to organizations running IBM Guardium Data Encryption versions identified by IBM. Prioritize systems protecting regulated, confidential, or high-value data. The provided sources do not identify affected deployment patterns, default exposure, or compensating controls.

Exploitation context

The CVE is not listed in CISA KEV, and the CVSS exploit maturity is unproven. Public source details describe the weakness at a high level only. Treat this as a confidentiality risk requiring vendor-guided remediation, not as confirmed active exploitation.

Researcher notes

Key gaps are limited public technical detail, no CWE in the bundle, and inconsistent affected version metadata. Avoid assuming exploitability beyond the CVSS vector. Validation should focus on exact IBM advisory applicability, deployed version evidence, and whether sensitive data depends on the affected encryption controls.

Mitigation direction

  • Review IBM advisory for the exact affected and fixed GDE versions.
  • Upgrade or apply IBM-provided fixes where applicable.
  • Prioritize environments protecting sensitive or regulated data.
  • Limit network access to GDE management and data-protection components.
  • Review vendor guidance before changing cryptographic settings.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory all IBM Guardium Data Encryption deployments and versions.
  • Compare installed versions against IBM advisory and CVE records.
  • Confirm remediation status through vendor-supported version reporting.
  • Check whether affected systems protect high-sensitivity datasets.
  • Document the version discrepancy for vulnerability-management tracking.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
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

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CVE-2021-20379 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.9 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

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
5.9CVSS 3.0MediumCVSS:3.0/I:N/UI:N/C:H/S:U/AC:H/A:N/AV:N/PR:N/RL:O/RC:C/E:U2.23.6Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

5.9Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-20379Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

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
IBMGuardium Data Encryption3.0.0.2, 4.0.0.4Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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