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Cloud Pak SystemApplication · Ibm

CVE-2021-20479

HIGH · 7.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2022-05-09
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 2.3.3.4 or later.
See remediation →
84/100
Remediation priority · High
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
IBM Cloud Pak System 2.3.0 through 2.3.3.3 Interim Fix 1 uses weaker than expected cryptographic algorithms that could allow an attacker to decrypt highly sensitive information. IBM X-Force ID: 197498.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · moderate confidence

IBM Cloud Pak System versions 2.3.0 through 2.3.3.3 Interim Fix 1 implements weaker than expected cryptographic algorithms, potentially allowing attackers to decrypt highly sensitive information. The specific weak algorithms and attack vector are not detailed in the available description. The CVSS 7.5 score indicates high severity due to the potential exposure of sensitive data through cryptographic weakness.

MitigationApply the latest IBM interim fix for Cloud Pak System that addresses the weak cryptographic algorithms, or upgrade to a patched version. Conduct a cryptographic audit to identify and replace any weak algorithms in use.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Cloud Pak SystemApplication
Affected:>= 2.3.0.0, < 2.3.3.4

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

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

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify if IBM Cloud Pak System is installed
    Run 'cloudctl' or 'ibmcloud cpk' command if available, or check for installation directories such as /opt/ibm or /opt/cloudpak. Check running processes for cloud pak system components.
    Affected if IBM Cloud Pak System is present in the environment
  2. Determine the installed version of IBM Cloud Pak System
    Use the command 'cloudctl --version' or 'cloudctl cluster version', or inspect version files in the installation directory such as version.txt or manifest files in /opt/ibm/cloudpak/system. The version format follows 2.3.x.x.
    Affected if Version cannot be determined or is in the range >= 2.3.0.0 and < 2.3.3.4
  3. Compare installed version against affected range
    Document the exact version number found in step 2 and compare it mathematically: versions 2.3.0.0 through 2.3.3.3 (including Interim Fix 1) are affected. Version 2.3.3.4 and later are not affected.
    Affected if Installed version falls within >= 2.3.0.0.0 and < 2.3.3.4
  4. Review cryptographic configuration if version is affected
    Examine configuration files for cipher suites and cryptographic settings. Check /etc/ssl, application configuration files, and any PKI-related configurations for use of weak algorithms such as MD5, SHA1, or short key lengths.
    Affected if Weak cryptographic algorithms are found in configuration or the specific weak algorithms referenced in IBM security bulletins are in use

The environment is affected if IBM Cloud Pak System is installed with a version between 2.3.0.0 and 2.3.3.3 inclusive.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 2.3.3.4 or later
Fixed in 2.3.3.4
Interim mitigation

Apply the latest IBM interim fix for Cloud Pak System that addresses the weak cryptographic algorithms, or upgrade to a patched version. Conduct a cryptographic audit to identify and replace any weak algorithms in use.

Recommended fix High confidence

IBM Cloud Pak System 2.3.3.4 or later

  1. Download IBM Cloud Pak System version 2.3.3.4 or later from IBM Fix Central or IBM Cloud Pak tickets
  2. Review IBM Cloud Pak System upgrade documentation for your specific deployment topology
  3. Ensure backup of current system configuration and data before initiating upgrade
  4. Follow IBM's standard upgrade procedure for Cloud Pak System 2.3.x series
  5. Verify the upgrade completed successfully and the cryptographic components are updated
  6. Confirm the new version is 2.3.3.4 or higher by checking system version

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Cloud Pak System Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation8.0 h
  • Implementation12.0 h
  • Testing16.0 h
  • Review / QA8.0 h
44.0 hours of engineering $7,600
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $12,160.

Scan for this in your stack

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-20479 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data