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CVE Record

CVE-2021-38980: IBM Tivoli Key Lifecycle Manager (IBM Security Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager) 3.0, 3.0.1, 4.0, and 4.1 cou...

IBM Tivoli Key Lifecycle Manager (IBM Security Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager) 3.0, 3.0.1, 4.0, and 4.1 could allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information when a detailed technical error message is returned in the browser. This information could be used in further attacks against the system. IBM X-Force ID: 212786.

LowCVSS 2.7Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysislow

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a low-severity IBM key lifecycle manager issue where detailed browser error messages may reveal sensitive information. The disclosed information could help an attacker plan later activity, but the CVSS data says the attacker needs high privileges first.

Executive priority

Handle as planned maintenance unless the product is broadly reachable or supports highly sensitive environments. The business risk is lower than code execution or outage issues, but exposure of internal technical details can still reduce attacker effort.

Technical view

CVE-2021-38980 affects IBM Tivoli Key Lifecycle Manager / IBM Security Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager versions listed for 3.0, 3.0.1, 4.0, and 4.1. The issue is information disclosure through detailed technical error messages returned in the browser. CVSS 3.0 score is 2.7 with network access and high privileges required.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely where listed IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager versions are deployed and the browser-based administrative interface is reachable by highly privileged users over the network.

Exploitation context

The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. The issue is useful mainly for reconnaissance after privileged access, because the disclosed details could support further attacks against the system.

Researcher notes

Evidence is limited to IBM and CVE records. No CWE is provided in the bundle. CVSS indicates confidentiality-only impact, no integrity or availability impact, network attack vector, low complexity, no user interaction, and high privileges required.

Mitigation direction

  • Check IBM support advisory 6518326 for the vendor-supported fix or upgrade path.
  • Apply IBM-recommended fixes for affected Security Key Lifecycle Manager versions.
  • Restrict browser UI access to trusted administrative networks and users.
  • Avoid exposing detailed technical errors to browser users where vendor configuration supports it.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager deployments and compare versions against the affected list.
  • Confirm administrative browser access is limited to intended privileged users and networks.
  • Review IBM X-Force ID 212786 and the IBM advisory for fixed levels.
  • After remediation, verify detailed technical error messages are no longer exposed in browser workflows.
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-2021-38980 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Low
CVSS
2.7 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

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
2.7CVSS 3.0LowCVSS:3.0/I:N/S:U/PR:H/AC:L/UI:N/AV:N/C:L/A:N/RL:O/RC:C/E:U1.21.4Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

2.7Low
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-38980Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

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
IBMSecurity Key Lifecycle Manager3.0, 3.0.1, 4.0, 3.0.0.4, 3.0.1.5, 4.0.0.3, 4.1.0.1, 4.1.1, 4.1.0Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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