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CVE Record

CVE-2021-20549: IBM Content Navigator 3.0.CD is vulnerable to cross-site scripting.

IBM Content Navigator 3.0.CD 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: 199167.

MediumCVSS 5.4Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

IBM Content Navigator 3.0.CD has a medium-severity cross-site scripting flaw. An authenticated user could place JavaScript into the web interface. If another user interacts with the affected UI in a trusted session, the script could alter page behavior and potentially expose credentials.

Executive priority

Treat as a planned, near-term remediation for affected IBM Content Navigator deployments. It is not marked as actively exploited in the supplied sources, but it can affect trusted sessions and credentials.

Technical view

CVE-2021-20549 is a network-reachable XSS issue in IBM Content Navigator 3.0.CD. CVSS 3.0 is 5.4 with low attack complexity, low privileges required, user interaction required, changed scope, and low confidentiality/integrity impact. IBM X-Force tracks it as ID 199167.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to environments running IBM Content Navigator 3.0.CD. Risk is higher where the application is broadly reachable by authenticated users or handles sensitive sessions and credentials.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. The CVSS vector indicates exploit maturity high, but successful abuse still requires privileges and user interaction.

Researcher notes

Key constraints are PR:L and UI:R. Focus validation on stored or reflected script handling in the Content Navigator web UI, without using production credentials or offensive payload detail. Public sources do not provide CWE details in the bundle.

Mitigation direction

  • Review IBM advisory 6447143 and X-Force 199167 for official remediation.
  • Apply the IBM-provided fix or upgrade path if applicable to your deployment.
  • Limit IBM Content Navigator access to required trusted users until remediated.
  • Review session and credential-handling controls around the affected application.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory IBM Content Navigator deployments and confirm whether 3.0.CD is present.
  • Compare installed fix levels against IBM advisory guidance.
  • Confirm web UI input is encoded or rejected in a test environment.
  • Review application logs for suspicious saved UI content or credential prompts.
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.

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CVE-2021-20549 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.4 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

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/I:L/S:C/AC:L/AV:N/A:N/C:L/UI:R/PR:L/RL:O/RC:C/E:H2.32.7Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

5.4Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-20549Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

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
IBMContent Navigator3.0.CDListed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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