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CVE Record

CVE-2021-20572: IBM Security Identity Manager Adapters 6.0 and 7.0 are vulnerable to a stack-based buffer overflow, caused...

IBM Security Identity Manager Adapters 6.0 and 7.0 are vulnerable to a stack-based buffer overflow, caused by improper bounds checking. A remote authenticated attacker could overflow the and cause the server to crash. IBM X-Force ID: 199247.

MediumCVSS 6.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is an IBM Security Identity Manager Adapters flaw where an authenticated remote user could crash the server. The business impact is service disruption rather than data theft, based on the provided CVSS details. Exposure matters most where adapter services are reachable by broad internal or partner user populations.

Executive priority

Treat as a moderate availability risk. Prioritize remediation for identity infrastructure that supports critical access workflows, especially if many users or partner systems can authenticate to the adapter service.

Technical view

IBM Security Identity Manager Adapters 6.0 and 7.0 have a stack-based buffer overflow caused by improper bounds checking. CVSS 3.0 is 6.5 with network access, low privileges, no user interaction, no confidentiality or integrity impact, and high availability impact. IBM X-Force tracks it as ID 199247.

Likely exposure

Organizations using IBM Security Identity Manager Adapters versions 6.0 or 7.0 are potentially exposed. Risk is higher if adapter services are network-reachable from large authenticated user groups or less-trusted internal segments.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or reported active exploitation. Exploitation requires authentication with low privileges and is described as causing a server crash, so the credible impact is denial of service.

Researcher notes

Evidence supports denial-of-service impact only. The provided data does not name a specific vulnerable function, fixed version, workaround, or exploit procedure. Use IBM advisory and X-Force entry for authoritative remediation and product-specific details.

Mitigation direction

  • Identify all IBM Security Identity Manager Adapter 6.0 and 7.0 deployments.
  • Review IBM advisory 6465875 and apply the vendor-listed official remediation.
  • Restrict adapter network access to trusted administrative and application paths.
  • Review authentication scope for accounts that can reach adapter services.
  • Monitor adapter hosts for crashes, restart loops, or unusual authenticated access.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm installed adapter versions and compare them with IBM advisory guidance.
  • Verify affected services are not reachable from unnecessary internal or external networks.
  • Check whether vendor remediation has been applied according to IBM documentation.
  • Review logs for authenticated requests preceding adapter crashes or availability incidents.
  • Document remaining unsupported or unpatched adapter instances as accepted business risk.
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-2021-20572 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
6.5 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AC:L/AV:N/UI:N/I:N/C:N/PR:L/S:U/A:H/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
6.5CVSS 3.0MediumCVSS:3.0/AC:L/AV:N/UI:N/I:N/C:N/PR:L/S:U/A:H/RL:O/RC:C/E:U2.83.6Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

6.5Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-20572Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AC:L/AV:N/UI:N/I:N/C:N/PR:L/S:U/A:H/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
IBMSecurity Identity Manager Adapters6.0, 7.0Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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