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CVE Record

CVE-2021-43286: An issue was discovered in ThoughtWorks GoCD before 21.3.0.

An issue was discovered in ThoughtWorks GoCD before 21.3.0. An attacker with privileges to create a new pipeline on a GoCD server can abuse a command-line injection in the Git URL "Test Connection" feature to execute arbitrary code.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2021-43286 affects ThoughtWorks GoCD versions before 21.3.0. A user who can create a pipeline could abuse the Git URL Test Connection feature to run arbitrary code on the GoCD server. This matters because GoCD often has access to source code, build secrets, and deployment paths.

Executive priority

Treat this as high priority for any GoCD deployment because successful abuse can execute code on a CI/CD server. Prioritize systems with broad pipeline-creation rights or access to deployment credentials. If GoCD is not used, business exposure is unlikely.

Technical view

The issue is command-line injection in GoCD's Git URL Test Connection handling. The required attacker position is authenticated access with privileges to create a new pipeline. The public record does not provide CVSS, CWE, CPE, or detailed affected-version ranges beyond GoCD before 21.3.0.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely in organizations running GoCD before 21.3.0 where non-administrators, project teams, or automation accounts can create pipelines or test Git connections. Internet exposure increases impact, but the source bundle only confirms the pipeline-creation privilege requirement.

Exploitation context

The source bundle supports arbitrary code execution by a privileged GoCD user, not unauthenticated exploitation. KEV is false, and no provided source states active exploitation in the wild. SonarSource describes this as part of a vulnerability chain, so researchers should assess related GoCD hardening too.

Researcher notes

Evidence is limited but clear on the core condition: GoCD before 21.3.0 plus pipeline-creation privileges. Avoid assuming unauthenticated access, public exploitation, or exact CVSS. Review the two GoCD commits and SonarSource write-up for implementation details and related chain context.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade GoCD to 21.3.0 or later after confirming vendor release guidance.
  • Restrict pipeline creation privileges to trusted administrators only.
  • Review GoCD user, group, and role assignments for excessive permissions.
  • Rotate sensitive build and deployment secrets if compromise is suspected.
  • Check vendor release notes and commits for the exact fixed behavior.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory all GoCD servers and record their deployed versions.
  • Confirm no production instance runs a version before 21.3.0.
  • Enumerate accounts with permission to create pipelines.
  • Review recent pipeline creation and Git connection testing activity if logs exist.
  • Verify post-upgrade behavior aligns with vendor guidance.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
6

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

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ATT&CK lookup starting points

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description · low confidence lookup

Execution behavior lookup

The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

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CVE-2021-43286 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
5Source 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.