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CVE Record

CVE-2021-29878: IBM Business Automation Workflow 18.0, 19.0, 20.0, and 21.0 is vulnerable to cross-site scripting.

IBM Business Automation Workflow 18.0, 19.0, 20.0, and 21.0 is vulnerable to cross-site scripting. This vulnerability allows users to embed arbitrary JavaScript code in the Web UI thus altering the intended functionality potentially leading to credentials disclosure within a trusted session. IBM X-Force ID: 206581.

MediumCVSS 5.4Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

IBM Business Automation Workflow versions 18.0 through 21.0 can let an authenticated user place JavaScript into the web interface. If another user interacts with that trusted session, the script could change page behavior and potentially expose credentials.

Executive priority

Treat as a moderate-priority remediation item. It is not presented as actively exploited, but affected workflow systems may hold sensitive business sessions, making credential exposure and trusted-user compromise meaningful.

Technical view

CVE-2021-29878 is a network-reachable cross-site scripting issue in IBM Business Automation Workflow. CVSS 3.0 score is 5.4 with low privileges required, user interaction required, changed scope, and low confidentiality and integrity impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to organizations running the listed IBM Business Automation Workflow versions: 18.0.0.0-18.0.0.2, 19.0.0.1-19.0.0.3, 20.0.0.1-20.0.0.2, and 21.0.2.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited evidence of active exploitation. The CVSS vector indicates exploitation requires network access, low privileges, and user interaction inside the web UI.

Researcher notes

Evidence identifies the product, affected versions, XSS impact, CVSS vector, and IBM X-Force ID 206581. The bundle does not provide vulnerable parameters, exploit details, or exact fixed builds, so validation should stay source-led and vendor-guided.

Mitigation direction

  • Inventory IBM Business Automation Workflow versions in all environments.
  • Review IBM advisory 6501949 for fixed versions or official interim fixes.
  • Prioritize remediation for internet-exposed or broadly accessible BAW web interfaces.
  • Restrict BAW web UI access to authorized trusted users where possible.
  • Monitor for unexpected script content or abnormal trusted-session behavior.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm whether deployed versions match the affected version list.
  • Compare installed fix packs or interim fixes against IBM guidance.
  • Verify access controls limit who can create or modify web UI content.
  • Review saved UI content and logs for suspicious script-like entries.
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

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CVE-2021-29878 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.4 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

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
5.4CVSS 3.0MediumCVSS:3.0/A:N/UI:R/PR:L/I:L/S:C/AV:N/C:L/AC:L/RL:O/RC:C/E:H2.32.7Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

5.4Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-29878Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

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
IBMBusiness Automation Workflow18.0.0.0, 18.0.0.1, 18.0.0.2, 19.0.0.1, 19.0.0.2, 19.0.0.3, 20.0.0.1, 20.0.0.2, 21.0.2Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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