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CVE Record

CVE-2021-20454: IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 is vulnerable to a XML External Entity Injection (X...

IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 is vulnerable to a XML External Entity Injection (XXE) attack when processing XML data. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to expose sensitive information or consume memory resources. IBM X-Force ID: 196649.

HighCVSS 8.2Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

IBM WebSphere Application Server versions 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 can mishandle XML input. A remote attacker could use that weakness to expose sensitive information or consume memory resources, creating confidentiality and availability risk for affected business applications.

Executive priority

Treat this as a high-priority platform remediation item for affected WebSphere estates. The risk is strongest where business applications accept XML from remote parties, because the issue can expose sensitive data or degrade service availability.

Technical view

CVE-2021-20454 is an XXE vulnerability in IBM WebSphere Application Server XML processing. The CVSS 3.0 score is 8.2, with network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges, no user interaction, high confidentiality impact, and low availability impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is likely where affected WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, or 9.0 deployments process XML data from remote users or integrated systems.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. The CVSS vector marks exploit maturity as unproven, but remote unauthenticated reachability makes exposed XML-processing surfaces important to review.

Researcher notes

Sources identify the weakness as XXE during XML processing but do not provide affected components, payload conditions, or specific fix levels in the bundle. Avoid assuming exploitability for every WebSphere application without validating XML input exposure.

Mitigation direction

  • Identify all WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 deployments.
  • Review IBM advisory guidance for official fixes or version-specific remediation.
  • Prioritize remediation for internet-facing or partner-facing XML-processing applications.
  • Restrict untrusted XML input paths until vendor remediation is confirmed.
  • Monitor application and JVM memory behavior for abnormal XML-processing activity.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm deployed WebSphere Application Server versions against the affected version list.
  • Inventory applications and APIs that accept or process XML data.
  • Verify whether IBM-recommended fixes are installed for each affected instance.
  • Check logs for unusual XML parsing errors or memory pressure around exposed endpoints.
  • Document any compensating controls protecting remote XML input paths.
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-2021-20454 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
8.2 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

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
8.2CVSS 3.0HighCVSS:3.0/I:N/PR:N/AC:L/A:L/UI:N/AV:N/S:U/C:H/RL:O/E:U/RC:C3.94.2Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

8.2High
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-20454Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

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
IBMWebSphere Application Server7.0, 8.0, 8.5, 9.0Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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