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CVE Record

CVE-2021-38951: IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 is vulnerable to a denial of service, caused by sen...

IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 is vulnerable to a denial of service, caused by sending a specially-crafted request. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to cause the server to consume all available CPU resources. IBM X-Force ID: 211405.

HighCVSS 7.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2021-38951 is a remotely reachable denial-of-service issue in IBM WebSphere Application Server. A specially crafted request can make the server consume all available CPU, potentially taking business applications offline. The provided sources do not show active exploitation.

Executive priority

Prioritize remediation for externally reachable or mission-critical WebSphere systems. The issue affects availability rather than data theft, but successful exploitation could disrupt customer-facing services or internal applications without requiring attacker authentication.

Technical view

IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 are affected. CVSS 3.0 score is 7.5: network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges, no user interaction, and high availability impact. Confidentiality and integrity impact are not indicated.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely where affected WebSphere Application Server versions are reachable by users, partners, or the internet. The bundle lists major versions only, so teams must validate exact deployed fix levels against IBM guidance.

Exploitation context

The CVE describes remote CPU exhaustion through a specially crafted request. KEV status is false, and the supplied CVSS vector marks exploit maturity as unproven. No cited source in the bundle confirms active exploitation.

Researcher notes

The available evidence is limited to CVE, IBM advisory, and IBM X-Force references. No CWE is listed. Avoid assuming affected components beyond WebSphere Application Server or claiming exploitation without additional sourced evidence.

Mitigation direction

  • Inventory WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 instances.
  • Review IBM advisory node 6524674 for vendor-approved remediation.
  • Apply the IBM-listed fix or interim fix where applicable.
  • Restrict untrusted network access to affected servers where feasible.
  • Monitor CPU saturation and availability until remediation is complete.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm each WebSphere version and fix level against IBM guidance.
  • Identify internet-facing, partner-facing, or high-criticality WebSphere deployments.
  • Verify CPU and availability alerts cover affected application servers.
  • Check change records for completed IBM remediation.
  • Track unresolved systems with owners and compensating controls.
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

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

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CVE-2021-38951 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
High
CVSS
7.5 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

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
7.5CVSS 3.0HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/S:U/PR:N/C:N/AC:L/I:N/A:H/UI:N/RC:C/E:U/RL:O3.93.6Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

7.5High
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-38951Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

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
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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