CVE-2021-22926: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-5xph-62q2-pxff
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CVSS 7.5
CWE-295
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2021-22926 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) security vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-295: Improper Certificate Validation) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The weakness occurs when the product does not validate, or incorrectly validates, a certificate.. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2021-22926 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2021-22926
GHSA Identifier GHSA-5xph-62q2-pxff
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-295: Improper Certificate Validation
Affected Product Software
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2021-22926

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Software dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2021-22926, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Software in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-295: Improper Certificate Validation, where the product does not validate, or incorrectly validates, a certificate. In Software, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

libcurl-using applications can ask for a specific client certificate to be used in a transfer. This is done with the `CURLOPT_SSLCERT` option (`--cert` with the command line tool).When libcurl is built to use the macOS native TLS library Secure Transport, an application can ask for the client certificate by name or with a file name - using the same option. If the name exists as a file, it will be used instead of by name.If the appliction runs with a current working directory that is writable by other users (like `/tmp`), a malicious user can create a file name with the same name as the app wants to use by name, and thereby trick the application to use the file based cert instead of the one referred to by name making libcurl send the wrong client certificate in the TLS connection handshake.

References

NVD — CVE-2021-22926 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22926
hackerone.com/reports/1234760 WEB
https://hackerone.com/reports/1234760
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2022.html
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211022-0003
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210902-0003
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202212-01
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbf4ce7... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbf4ce74b0d1fa9810dec50ba3ace0caeea677af7c27a97111c06ccb7@%3Cusers.kafka.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbf4ce7... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbf4ce74b0d1fa9810dec50ba3ace0caeea677af7c27a97111c06ccb7@%3Cdev.kafka.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbf4ce7... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbf4ce74b0d1fa9810dec50ba3ace0caeea677af7c27a97111c06ccb7%40%3Cusers.kafka.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbf4ce7... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbf4ce74b0d1fa9810dec50ba3ace0caeea677af7c27a97111c06ccb7%40%3Cdev.kafka.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r61db8e... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r61db8e7dcb56dc000a5387a88f7a473bacec5ee01b9ff3f55308aacc@%3Cusers.kafka.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r61db8e... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r61db8e7dcb56dc000a5387a88f7a473bacec5ee01b9ff3f55308aacc@%3Cdev.kafka.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r61db8e... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r61db8e7dcb56dc000a5387a88f7a473bacec5ee01b9ff3f55308aacc%40%3Cusers.kafka.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r61db8e... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r61db8e7dcb56dc000a5387a88f7a473bacec5ee01b9ff3f55308aacc%40%3Cdev.kafka.apache.org%3E
cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa... WEB
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-389290.pdf
cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ss... WEB
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html
cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ss... WEB
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-389290.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-22926?
CVE-2021-22926 is a security vulnerability in Software classified as a security vulnerability vulnerability under CWE-295: Improper Certificate Validation.
Which Software versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches.
What version fixes CVE-2021-22926?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-22926?
CVE-2021-22926 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2021-22926?
CVE-2021-22926 is classified under CWE-295: Improper Certificate Validation (The product does not validate, or incorrectly validates, a certificate.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2021-22926?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-5xph-62q2-pxff",
  "modified" : "2026-10-14T12:31:21Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-24T19:10:06Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2021-22926" ],
  "details" : "libcurl-using applications can ask for a specific client certificate to be used in a transfer. This is done with the `CURLOPT_SSLCERT` option (`--cert` with the command line tool).When libcurl is built to use the macOS native TLS library Secure Transport, an application can ask for the client certificate by name or with a file name - using the same option. If the name exists as a file, it will be used instead of by name.If the appliction runs with a current working directory that is writable by other users (like `/tmp`), a malicious user can create a file name with the same name as the app wants to use by name, and thereby trick the application to use the file based cert instead of the one referred to by name making libcurl send the wrong client certificate in the TLS connection handshake.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
  } ],
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    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://hackerone.com/reports/1234760"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2022.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211022-0003"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210902-0003"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202212-01"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbf4ce74b0d1fa9810dec50ba3ace0caeea677af7c27a97111c06ccb7@%3Cusers.kafka.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbf4ce74b0d1fa9810dec50ba3ace0caeea677af7c27a97111c06ccb7@%3Cdev.kafka.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbf4ce74b0d1fa9810dec50ba3ace0caeea677af7c27a97111c06ccb7%40%3Cusers.kafka.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbf4ce74b0d1fa9810dec50ba3ace0caeea677af7c27a97111c06ccb7%40%3Cdev.kafka.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r61db8e7dcb56dc000a5387a88f7a473bacec5ee01b9ff3f55308aacc@%3Cusers.kafka.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r61db8e7dcb56dc000a5387a88f7a473bacec5ee01b9ff3f55308aacc@%3Cdev.kafka.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r61db8e7dcb56dc000a5387a88f7a473bacec5ee01b9ff3f55308aacc%40%3Cusers.kafka.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r61db8e7dcb56dc000a5387a88f7a473bacec5ee01b9ff3f55308aacc%40%3Cdev.kafka.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-389290.pdf"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-389290.html"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-295" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : false,
    "github_reviewed_at" : null,
    "nvd_published_at" : "2021-08-05T21:15:00Z"
  }
}