CVE-2021-39038 Vulnerability Analysis & Exploit Details

CVE-2021-39038
Vulnerability Scoring

5.4
/10
Significant Risk

Security assessments indicate that CVE-2021-39038 presents a notable risk, potentially requiring prompt mitigation.

Attack Complexity Details

  • Attack Complexity: Low
    Exploits can be performed without significant complexity or special conditions.
  • Attack Vector: Network
    Vulnerability is exploitable over a network without physical access.
  • Privileges Required: Low
    Some privileges are necessary to exploit the vulnerability.
  • Scope: Changed
    Successful exploitation can impact components beyond the vulnerable component.
  • User Interaction: Required
    User interaction is necessary for successful exploitation.

CVE-2021-39038 Details

Status: Modified

Last updated: 🕕 21 Nov 2024, 06:18 UTC
Originally published on: 🕔 24 Feb 2022, 17:15 UTC

Time between publication and last update: 1000 days

CVSS Release: version 3

CVSS3 Source

nvd@nist.gov

CVSS3 Type

Primary

CVSS3 Vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

CVE-2021-39038 Vulnerability Summary

CVE-2021-39038: IBM WebSphere Application Server 9.0 and IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 22.0.0.2 could allow a remote attacker to hijack the clicking action of the victim. By persuading a victim to visit a malicious Web site, a remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to hijack the victim's click actions and possibly launch further attacks against the victim. IBM X-Force ID: 213968.

Assessing the Risk of CVE-2021-39038

Access Complexity Graph

The exploitability of CVE-2021-39038 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).

Exploitability Analysis for CVE-2021-39038

CVE-2021-39038 presents an accessible attack vector with minimal effort required. Restricting access controls and implementing security updates are critical to reducing exploitation risks.

Understanding AC and PR

A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.

Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.

Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.

CVSS Score Breakdown Chart

Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2021-39038, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.

CIA Impact Analysis

Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2021-39038, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.

  • Confidentiality: Low
    CVE-2021-39038 could lead to minor leaks of non-critical information without major privacy breaches.
  • Integrity: Low
    Exploiting CVE-2021-39038 may cause minor changes to data without severely impacting its accuracy.
  • Availability: None
    CVE-2021-39038 does not impact system availability.

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

The EPSS score estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the near future.

EPSS Score: 0.065% (probability of exploit)

EPSS Percentile: 31.87% (lower percentile = lower relative risk)
This vulnerability is less risky than approximately 68.13% of others.

CVE-2021-39038 References

External References

CWE Common Weakness Enumeration

CWE-1021

CAPEC Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification

  • Clickjacking CAPEC-103 An adversary tricks a victim into unknowingly initiating some action in one system while interacting with the UI from a seemingly completely different, usually an adversary controlled or intended, system.
  • Flash File Overlay CAPEC-181 An attacker creates a transparent overlay using flash in order to intercept user actions for the purpose of performing a clickjacking attack. In this technique, the Flash file provides a transparent overlay over HTML content. Because the Flash application is on top of the content, user actions, such as clicks, are caught by the Flash application rather than the underlying HTML. The action is then interpreted by the overlay to perform the actions the attacker wishes.
  • iFrame Overlay CAPEC-222 In an iFrame overlay attack the victim is tricked into unknowingly initiating some action in one system while interacting with the UI from seemingly completely different system.
  • Task Impersonation CAPEC-504 An adversary, through a previously installed malicious application, impersonates an expected or routine task in an attempt to steal sensitive information or leverage a user's privileges.
  • Tapjacking CAPEC-506 An adversary, through a previously installed malicious application, displays an interface that misleads the user and convinces them to tap on an attacker desired location on the screen. This is often accomplished by overlaying one screen on top of another while giving the appearance of a single interface. There are two main techniques used to accomplish this. The first is to leverage transparent properties that allow taps on the screen to pass through the visible application to an application running in the background. The second is to strategically place a small object (e.g., a button or text field) on top of the visible screen and make it appear to be a part of the underlying application. In both cases, the user is convinced to tap on the screen but does not realize the application that they are interacting with.
  • Cross Frame Scripting (XFS) CAPEC-587 This attack pattern combines malicious Javascript and a legitimate webpage loaded into a concealed iframe. The malicious Javascript is then able to interact with a legitimate webpage in a manner that is unknown to the user. This attack usually leverages some element of social engineering in that an attacker must convinces a user to visit a web page that the attacker controls.
  • Credential Prompt Impersonation CAPEC-654 An adversary, through a previously installed malicious application, impersonates a credential prompt in an attempt to steal a user's credentials.

Vulnerable Configurations

  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.0:*:*:*:-:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.0:*:*:*:-:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.0:*:*:*:hypervisor:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.0:*:*:*:hypervisor:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.1:*:*:*:-:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.1:*:*:*:-:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.1:*:*:*:hypervisor:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.1:*:*:*:hypervisor:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.2:*:*:*:hypervisor:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.2:*:*:*:hypervisor:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.3:*:*:*:hypervisor:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.3:*:*:*:hypervisor:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.5:*:*:*:hypervisor:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.5:*:*:*:hypervisor:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.5.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:17.0.0.3:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:17.0.0.3:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:17.0.0.4:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:17.0.0.4:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:18.0.0.1:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:18.0.0.1:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:18.0.0.2:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:18.0.0.2:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:18.0.0.3:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:18.0.0.3:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:18.0.0.4:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:18.0.0.4:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.1:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.1:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.2:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.2:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.3:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.3:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.4:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.4:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.5:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.5:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.6:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.6:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.7:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.7:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.8:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.8:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.9:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.9:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.10:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.10:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.11:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.11:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.12:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:19.0.0.12:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.1:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.1:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.2:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.2:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.3:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.3:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.4:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.4:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.5:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.5:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.6:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.6:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.7:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.7:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.8:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.8:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.9:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.9:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.10:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.10:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.11:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.11:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.12:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:20.0.0.12:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:21.0.0.1:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:21.0.0.1:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:21.0.0.2:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:21.0.0.2:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:21.0.0.3:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:21.0.0.3:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:21.0.0.4:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:21.0.0.4:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:21.0.0.5:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:21.0.0.5:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:21.0.0.10:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:21.0.0.10:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:21.0.0.12:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:21.0.0.12:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:22.0.0.1:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:22.0.0.1:*:*:*:liberty:*:*:*

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