Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-29775 is a cross-site scripting issue in IBM Business Automation Workflow and IBM Cloud Pak for Automation. An authenticated user could place JavaScript into the web interface, changing page behavior and potentially exposing credentials within a trusted session. The rating is medium, but workflow platforms often hold sensitive business data.
Executive priority
Treat this as a moderate-priority remediation item. It is not marked as actively exploited in the supplied sources, but it affects trusted workflow interfaces where credential exposure could support broader compromise. Prioritize internet-facing or broadly accessible deployments first.
Technical view
The source bundle describes network-reachable XSS with low attack complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, changed scope, and low confidentiality and integrity impact. Affected versions include IBM Business Automation Workflow 18.0.0.0 through 20.0.0.2 and IBM Cloud Pak for Automation 20.0.3.IF002 and 21.0.1.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to organizations running the listed IBM workflow or Cloud Pak versions with the web UI accessible to authenticated users. Internet-facing administrative or workflow portals increase practical risk, especially where broad user groups can access affected UI functions.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited evidence of active exploitation. IBM's description says arbitrary JavaScript can be embedded in the Web UI and may lead to credential disclosure inside a trusted session. Do not assume public exploitation from the provided sources alone.
Researcher notes
Key constraints are authenticated access and XSS impact rather than system-level code execution. The CVSS vector indicates low complexity, changed scope, low confidentiality and integrity impact, and no availability impact. Source details do not identify the exact vulnerable parameter, patch level, or exploit technique.
Mitigation direction
- Review IBM advisories 6465127 and 6467057 for official fixes or interim guidance.
- Upgrade or patch affected IBM Business Automation Workflow deployments per IBM guidance.
- Upgrade or patch affected Cloud Pak for Automation deployments per IBM guidance.
- Restrict access to affected web interfaces to trusted users and networks where feasible.
- Monitor IBM X-Force entry 203029 for updated remediation details.
Validation and detection
- Inventory deployed IBM Business Automation Workflow and Cloud Pak for Automation versions.
- Confirm whether any listed affected versions remain in production, staging, or disaster recovery.
- Verify IBM-recommended fixes or interim fixes are installed on affected systems.
- Review web UI access paths and identify externally reachable instances.
- Check security logs for suspicious script content or unexpected UI modifications.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
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.
CVE-2021-29775 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 6.4 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/C:L/UI:N/S:C/AC:L/A:N/PR:L/I:L/E:H/RL:O/RC:C
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.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe 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.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/C:L/UI:N/S:C/AC:L/A:N/PR:L/I:L/E:H/RL:O/RC:C3.12.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
6.4MediumVector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/C:L/UI:N/S:C/AC:L/A:N/PR:L/I:L/E:H/RL:O/RC:C
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6465127CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6467057CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- ibm-bpm-cve202129775-xss (203029)CVE reference · vdb-entry, x_refsource_XF
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.