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CVE Record

CVE-2021-20573: IBM Security Identity Manager Adapters 6.0 and 7.0 are vulnerable to a heap-based buffer overflow, caused b...

IBM Security Identity Manager Adapters 6.0 and 7.0 are vulnerable to a heap-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: 199249.

MediumCVSS 6.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2021-20573 affects IBM Security Identity Manager Adapters 6.0 and 7.0. An authenticated remote user could trigger a heap-based buffer overflow that crashes the server, creating an availability risk. The public record describes no confidentiality or integrity impact, and the source bundle does not show known active exploitation.

Executive priority

Treat this as a medium-priority availability risk. It is not described as data theft or privilege escalation, but disruption in identity infrastructure can affect onboarding, provisioning, and account operations. Prioritize environments where many users or external network paths can reach adapter services.

Technical view

The issue is improper bounds checking leading to heap-based buffer overflow. CVSS v3.0 is 6.5 with AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. The attacker must already have low privileges. The stated impact is server crash/availability loss; no CWE is listed in the provided bundle.

Likely exposure

Exposure is likely limited to organizations running IBM Security Identity Manager Adapter versions 6.0 or 7.0 where authenticated network users can reach the affected service. Internet exposure would increase business risk, but the provided sources do not identify deployment defaults, specific adapter types, or affected platforms.

Exploitation context

The bundle does not cite CISA KEV listing or any confirmed active exploitation. Exploit maturity is listed as unproven in the CVSS environmental data. The practical threat is disruption by an authenticated user, especially in identity-management environments where adapter outages can interrupt account provisioning or access workflows.

Researcher notes

The record is narrow: affected product and versions are named, but detailed vulnerable components, crash conditions, and exact fixed builds are not included in the supplied bundle. Avoid assuming unauthenticated access or code execution. Validation should focus on version presence, authenticated reachability, and IBM advisory alignment.

Mitigation direction

  • Inventory IBM Security Identity Manager Adapters and confirm any 6.0 or 7.0 deployments.
  • Review IBM advisory node 6465875 for official remediation and apply applicable fixes.
  • Restrict network access to adapter services to trusted administrative paths.
  • Review low-privilege accounts with access to affected adapter interfaces.
  • Monitor affected servers for crashes, restarts, or abnormal availability events.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm product and adapter versions against IBM Security Identity Manager Adapters 6.0 and 7.0.
  • Check whether affected services are reachable by low-privilege authenticated users.
  • Verify IBM-recommended fixes or updates are installed where applicable.
  • Review logs for crash events around adapter service processes.
  • Document compensating access controls if remediation cannot be immediate.
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-2021-20573 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
6.5 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

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/UI:N/AC:L/AV:N/C:N/I:N/S:U/PR:L/A:H/RC:C/E:U/RL:O2.83.6Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

6.5Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-20573Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

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.