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CVE Record

CVE-2021-37146: An infinite loop in Open Robotics ros_comm XMLRPC server in ROS Melodic through 1.4.11 and ROS Noetic throu...

An infinite loop in Open Robotics ros_comm XMLRPC server in ROS Melodic through 1.4.11 and ROS Noetic through1.15.11 allows remote attackers to cause a Denial of Service in ros_comm via a crafted XMLRPC call.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This CVE can let a remote attacker make affected ROS communication services stop responding by forcing an infinite loop. For organizations using ROS in robotics or automation, the business impact is availability: disrupted robot coordination, testing, or operations. The source bundle does not show data theft, code execution, CVSS scoring, or confirmed active exploitation.

Executive priority

Prioritize remediation for ROS systems supporting production, safety-sensitive testing, or shared lab infrastructure. Urgency is lower for isolated development systems. The main concern is operational disruption, not confirmed compromise.

Technical view

CVE-2021-37146 affects Open Robotics ros_comm XMLRPC server in ROS Melodic through 1.4.11 and ROS Noetic through 1.15.11. The flaw is an infinite loop reachable through a crafted XMLRPC call, causing denial of service. The available sources do not provide CWE, CVSS, exploit details, or a named fixed version.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely in ROS Melodic or Noetic deployments where ros_comm XMLRPC services are reachable from untrusted or broad internal networks. Internet exposure is not established by the source bundle, but remote network reachability is the key condition.

Exploitation context

The CVE record says remote attackers can cause denial of service with a crafted XMLRPC call. CISA KEV status is false, and the source bundle provides no evidence of active exploitation. Treat exploit status as unconfirmed.

Researcher notes

The public bundle is sparse: no CVSS, CWE, patch commit, or exploit telemetry is included. Analysis should focus on version confirmation, XMLRPC exposure boundaries, and vendor package release notes rather than assumptions about exploit maturity.

Mitigation direction

  • Inventory ROS Melodic and Noetic systems using ros_comm.
  • Upgrade ROS packages using the cited Melodic and Noetic package announcements.
  • Restrict ROS XMLRPC service access to trusted hosts only.
  • Segment robotics and control networks from untrusted networks.
  • Monitor Open Robotics guidance for exact fixed package details.

Validation and detection

  • Identify deployed ROS distribution and ros_comm package versions.
  • Check whether Melodic versions are at or below 1.4.11.
  • Check whether Noetic versions are at or below 1.15.11.
  • Review firewall rules for ros_comm XMLRPC reachability.
  • Confirm package updates align with ROS release announcements.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
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.

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CVE-2021-37146 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
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.

0CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
4Source links

CVSS and timeline data

No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
n/an/an/aListed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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