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CVE Record

CVE-2021-29722: IBM Sterling Secure Proxy 6.0.1, 6.0.2, 2.4.3.2, and 3.4.3.2 uses weaker than expected cryptographic algori...

IBM Sterling Secure Proxy 6.0.1, 6.0.2, 2.4.3.2, and 3.4.3.2 uses weaker than expected cryptographic algorithms that could allow an attacker to decrypt highly sensitive information. IBM X-Force ID: 201095.

MediumCVSS 5.9Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2021-29722 is a weak-cryptography issue in IBM Sterling Secure Proxy. In affected versions, encryption may be weaker than expected, creating a risk that highly sensitive information could be decrypted. The business concern is confidentiality exposure, not system takeover or service disruption based on the supplied sources.

Executive priority

Treat this as a confidentiality-focused medium-priority issue. It is not described as actively exploited, but it affects systems likely involved in sensitive data movement. Prioritize environments that are exposed externally or process regulated, customer, financial, or partner data.

Technical view

IBM Sterling Secure Proxy 6.0.1, 6.0.2, 2.4.3.2, and 3.4.3.2 are affected. CVSS 3.0 score is 5.9: network reachable, no privileges or user interaction required, high attack complexity, high confidentiality impact, and no integrity or availability impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most relevant where IBM Sterling Secure Proxy is deployed to handle sensitive file-transfer or proxy traffic, especially if affected versions are network reachable. The source bundle does not identify affected configurations beyond the listed product versions.

Exploitation context

The supplied data does not show active exploitation. KEV status is false, and the CVSS temporal vector lists exploit maturity as unproven. Attack complexity is high, but successful exploitation could compromise sensitive information confidentiality.

Researcher notes

The public bundle gives limited technical detail beyond weak cryptographic algorithms and potential decryption of sensitive information. Do not infer a specific algorithm, protocol, or exploit method from the provided evidence. Use IBM advisories and X-Force entry for vendor-specific remediation detail.

Mitigation direction

  • Inventory IBM Sterling Secure Proxy deployments and identify affected versions.
  • Review the linked IBM advisories for official fix or upgrade guidance.
  • Prioritize remediation for internet-facing or sensitive-data transfer environments.
  • Restrict network exposure where operationally feasible until vendor guidance is applied.
  • Review cryptographic and data-handling configurations against IBM guidance.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm installed Sterling Secure Proxy versions against the affected version list.
  • Check whether IBM-recommended fixes or upgrades are applied.
  • Validate that exposed services are limited to required trusted networks.
  • Review sensitive data flows through affected Sterling Secure Proxy instances.
  • Document compensating controls and remaining exposure for risk owners.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
5

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.

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CVE-2021-29722 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
5.9 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AC:H/AV:N/UI:N/I:N/S:U/A:N/PR:N/C: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
4Source 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
5.9CVSS 3.0MediumCVSS:3.0/AC:H/AV:N/UI:N/I:N/S:U/A:N/PR:N/C:H/RL:O/RC:C/E:U2.23.6Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

5.9Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-29722Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AC:H/AV:N/UI:N/I:N/S:U/A:N/PR:N/C: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
IBMSterling Secure Proxy3.4.3.2, 2.4.3.2, 6.0.1, 6.0.2Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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