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CVE Record

CVE-2021-20536: IBM Spectrum Protect Plus File Systems Agent 10.1.6 and 10.1.7 stores potentially sensitive information in...

IBM Spectrum Protect Plus File Systems Agent 10.1.6 and 10.1.7 stores potentially sensitive information in log files that could be read by a local user. IBM X-Force ID: 198836.

MediumCVSS 6.2Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This flaw affects IBM Spectrum Protect Plus File Systems Agent 10.1.6 and 10.1.7. Sensitive information may be written to log files that a local user could read. The main business risk is confidentiality loss on systems that handle backup operations, not remote takeover or service outage.

Executive priority

Treat this as a targeted confidentiality risk for backup infrastructure. Prioritize remediation where many local users can access protected hosts or where logs may contain credentials, customer data, or recovery secrets.

Technical view

CVE-2021-20536 is an information disclosure issue in IBM Spectrum Protect Plus File Systems Agent versions 10.1.6 and 10.1.7. The CVSS 3.0 vector is local, low complexity, no user interaction, unchanged scope, high confidentiality impact, and no integrity or availability impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to environments running IBM Spectrum Protect Plus File Systems Agent 10.1.6 or 10.1.7. Risk requires local access to the affected host, but backup infrastructure may contain sensitive operational data and credentials.

Exploitation context

The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. IBM X-Force marks exploit maturity as unproven in the CVSS vector. A local user could potentially read sensitive data from logs if file permissions and contents allow it.

Researcher notes

The bundle names only IBM Spectrum Protect Plus File Systems Agent 10.1.6 and 10.1.7. No CWE is listed. Do not broaden affected products without vendor evidence. The sources support local information disclosure, not remote execution or confirmed exploitation.

Mitigation direction

  • Identify hosts running the affected File Systems Agent versions.
  • Review IBM advisory guidance for the official fix or supported upgrade path.
  • Apply IBM's recommended remediation for affected deployments.
  • Restrict local user access on backup and recovery infrastructure.
  • Review logs for sensitive data and rotate exposed secrets if found.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm whether versions 10.1.6 or 10.1.7 are installed.
  • Check affected hosts for locally readable agent log files.
  • Verify IBM's remediation is applied or the agent is upgraded.
  • Review recent logs for sensitive values or credentials.
  • Document any credential rotation triggered by log exposure.
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

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CVE-2021-20536 mapping review

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

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
6.2 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.0/I:N/UI:N/A:N/S:U/AV:L/AC:L/C:H/PR:N/E:U/RL:O/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
6.2CVSS 3.0MediumCVSS:3.0/I:N/UI:N/A:N/S:U/AV:L/AC:L/C:H/PR:N/E:U/RL:O/RC:C2.53.6Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

6.2Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-20536Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.0/I:N/UI:N/A:N/S:U/AV:L/AC:L/C:H/PR:N/E:U/RL:O/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
IBMSpectrum Protect Plus10.1.6, 10.1.7Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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