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CVE Record

CVE-2021-20582: IBM Security Secret Server up to 11.0 stores sensitive information in URL parameters.

IBM Security Secret Server up to 11.0 stores sensitive information in URL parameters. This may lead to information disclosure if unauthorized parties have access to the URLs via server logs, referrer header or browser history. IBM X-Force ID: 199328.

LowCVSS 3.7Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysislow

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

IBM Security Secret Server can expose sensitive information by placing it in URLs. If those URLs are captured in logs, browser history, or referrer headers, someone with access to those records may see data they should not. The rated severity is low, but exposure matters where logs are broadly accessible.

Executive priority

Treat this as a low-severity data leakage issue requiring normal remediation, not emergency response. Prioritize faster if Secret Server logs are widely accessible, centrally aggregated, or retained for long periods.

Technical view

The issue is an information disclosure weakness in IBM Security Secret Server. Sensitive data may be stored in URL parameters and later leak through server logs, referrer headers, or browser history. The CVSS 3.0 score is 3.7, with low confidentiality impact and no integrity impact. The bundle states affected versions include 10.0 and describes exposure up to 11.0.

Likely exposure

Organizations using IBM Security Secret Server 10.0, and possibly versions up to 11.0 per the description, should assess exposure. Risk is highest where web, proxy, or application logs are retained, shared, or accessible to teams beyond administrators.

Exploitation context

The provided sources do not show active exploitation, and the CVE is not marked as CISA KEV. Practical abuse would require access to captured URLs through logs, referrer data, or browser history. Evidence in the bundle is limited to vendor and CVE records.

Researcher notes

The source bundle names IBM Security Secret Server and describes sensitive information in URL parameters. It does not provide a CWE, detailed patch version, exploit proof, or active exploitation evidence. The affected-version data is not fully consistent, so verify directly against IBM guidance.

Mitigation direction

  • Review IBM advisory for the supported fix or workaround.
  • Upgrade or patch IBM Security Secret Server according to IBM guidance.
  • Restrict access to application, proxy, and web server logs.
  • Avoid retaining sensitive URL data longer than operationally necessary.
  • Review referrer-policy and logging configurations for sensitive paths.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory IBM Security Secret Server deployments and versions.
  • Confirm whether deployments match version 10.0 or up to 11.0.
  • Review IBM advisory status against each deployment.
  • Check logs for sensitive values appearing in URL parameters.
  • Verify log access is limited to authorized administrators.
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

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

description · low confidence lookup

Credential and access behavior lookup

The CVE wording references authentication or credential exposure, so valid-account and credential-access review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2021-20582 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
Low
CVSS
3.7 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.0/A:N/UI:N/AC:H/C:L/I:N/PR:N/AV:N/S:U/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
3.7CVSS 3.0LowCVSS:3.0/A:N/UI:N/AC:H/C:L/I:N/PR:N/AV:N/S:U/E:U/RL:O/RC:C2.21.4Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

3.7Low
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-20582Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.0/A:N/UI:N/AC:H/C:L/I:N/PR:N/AV:N/S:U/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
IBMSecurity Secret Server10.0Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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