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CVE Record

CVE-2021-29842: IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, 9.0 and Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 21.0.0.9 could allow a rem...

IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, 9.0 and Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 21.0.0.9 could allow a remote user to enumerate usernames due to a difference of responses from valid and invalid login attempts. IBM X-Force ID: 205202.

LowCVSS 3.7Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysislow

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

Affected IBM WebSphere and Liberty login flows can reveal whether a username exists because valid and invalid login attempts receive different responses. This is low severity by CVSS, but it can help attackers build target lists for password attacks or social engineering.

Executive priority

Handle through normal vulnerability management unless the affected service is internet-facing or protects high-value applications. Prioritize exposed authentication surfaces because enumeration can make later credential attacks more efficient.

Technical view

CVE-2021-29842 is an unauthenticated network username-enumeration issue in IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, 9.0 and Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 21.0.0.9. IBM attributes it to response differences between valid and invalid login attempts. CVSS 3.0 is 3.7 with confidentiality impact only.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most relevant where affected WebSphere or Liberty authentication endpoints are reachable by untrusted users, including internet-facing portals. Internal-only systems still matter if credentials protect sensitive business applications.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited active exploitation. The issue does not provide code execution or direct data modification, but it can support credential-focused follow-on activity.

Researcher notes

Evidence is limited to the CVE record, IBM advisory reference, and IBM X-Force entry. No CWE is listed in the bundle. CVSS indicates high attack complexity, no privileges, no user interaction, low confidentiality impact, and no integrity or availability impact.

Mitigation direction

  • Identify WebSphere and Liberty instances and versions in the affected ranges.
  • Review IBM advisory 6489485 for official fix or upgrade guidance.
  • Apply vendor-supported fixes through normal change control.
  • Limit untrusted access to affected login endpoints where practical.
  • Monitor authentication logs for unusual username probing patterns.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm product, edition, and version for each WebSphere or Liberty deployment.
  • Check whether IBM-recommended fixes are installed on affected instances.
  • Review external exposure of administrative and application login pages.
  • Verify login responses are consistent after remediation.
  • Correlate authentication failures for signs of enumeration attempts.
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-2021-29842 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/AC:H/C:L/A:N/S:U/UI:N/PR:N/AV:N/I:N/RL:O/E:U/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/AC:H/C:L/A:N/S:U/UI:N/PR:N/AV:N/I:N/RL:O/E:U/RC:C2.21.4Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

3.7Low
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-29842Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AC:H/C:L/A:N/S:U/UI:N/PR:N/AV:N/I:N/RL:O/E:U/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
IBMWebSphere Application Server7.0, 8.0, 8.5, 9.0Listed
IBMWebSphere Application Server Liberty17.0.0.3, 21.0.0.9Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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