Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This CVE affects TIBCO WebFOCUS components and could let a low-privileged attacker trick a legitimate user into running malicious script in a trusted WebFOCUS context. The source rates it critical because confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact are all high, but it requires user interaction.
Executive priority
Treat this as high-priority if WebFOCUS is deployed, especially in business reporting environments with broad user access. The issue needs user interaction, but the impact rating is severe enough to justify prompt inventory, vendor guidance review, and remediation planning.
Technical view
TIBCO reports stored and reflected XSS in WebFOCUS Reporting Server and Client components affecting WebFOCUS Client, Installer, and Reporting Server versions 8207.27.0 and below. CVSS 3.1 is 9.0: network exploitable, low complexity, low privileges required, user interaction required, scope changed, with high CIA impact.
Likely exposure
Organizations running TIBCO WebFOCUS Client, Installer, or Reporting Server versions 8207.27.0 and below are potentially exposed. Risk is higher where low-privileged users can access WebFOCUS and can persuade other network-accessible users to open crafted content or links.
Exploitation context
The bundle states attacks are easily exploitable but require social engineering and interaction from someone other than the attacker. CISA KEV status is false, and the provided sources do not establish active exploitation in the wild.
Researcher notes
Evidence identifies stored and reflected XSS across WebFOCUS Client and Reporting Server components. The CVSS vector confirms low attack complexity, low privileges, required user interaction, and changed scope. The provided bundle does not include CWE mappings, exploit details, or explicit fixed version text.
Mitigation direction
- Review the TIBCO advisory for fixed versions or vendor-approved mitigations.
- Upgrade affected WebFOCUS components according to TIBCO guidance.
- Restrict WebFOCUS network access to trusted users and administrative paths.
- Reduce unnecessary low-privileged access to WebFOCUS interfaces.
- Use security monitoring for suspicious WebFOCUS input or script-related events.
Validation and detection
- Inventory WebFOCUS Client, Installer, and Reporting Server deployments.
- Confirm whether any component is version 8207.27.0 or below.
- Map which users and networks can access WebFOCUS interfaces.
- Check whether vendor-recommended updates or mitigations are applied.
- Review relevant WebFOCUS logs for suspicious user-driven script activity.
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-2021-35493 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
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
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:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H2.36Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.tibco.com/services/support/advisoriesCVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://www.tibco.com/support/advisories/2021/09/tibco-security-advisory-september-14-2021-tibco-webfocus-2021-35493CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
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.