CVE-2021-39040
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 · uneditedIBM Planning Analytics Workspace 2.0 could be vulnerable to malicious file upload by not validating the file types or sizes. Attackers can make use of this weakness and upload malicious executable files into the system and it can be sent to victim for performing further attacks. IBM X-Force ID: 214025.
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 · high confidenceIBM Planning Analytics Workspace 2.0 fails to validate file types and sizes during upload operations. This allows authenticated or unauthenticated attackers to upload malicious executable files (e.g., webshells, malware) to the server, which can then be distributed to other users or used to compromise the system further.
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= 2.0CVSS 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
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify installed version of IBM Planning Analytics WorkspaceLocate the version information for your IBM Planning Analytics Workspace installation through the product's admin interface, release documentation, or installation metadata. Common locations include the About section in the web interface or version files in the installation directory.Affected if The installed version is exactly 2.0, as this is the only version listed as affected by this CVE.
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Confirm file upload functionality is accessibleDetermine whether the file upload feature in IBM Planning Analytics Workspace is exposed and accessible to users. This may include upload endpoints for TM1 models, planning data, or workspace content.Affected if The upload functionality is exposed and accessible to authenticated users or the public.
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Inspect upload storage locations for suspicious filesSearch the directories where uploaded files are stored for unexpected file types, particularly executable files (.exe, .php, .jsp, .asp, .bat, .sh, .ps1), script files, or archives that may contain webshells or malware.Affected if Executable files, webshells, or other malicious payloads are found in upload directories.
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Review upload configuration for missing validationExamine the configuration files or settings governing file upload operations in IBM Planning Analytics Workspace. Look for the absence of file type restrictions, file size limits, or content-type validation mechanisms.Affected if No file type allowlist, no size limits, or no content validation is configured for uploads.
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Check web server logs for anomalous upload activityReview web server access and error logs for patterns indicating excessive or suspicious file upload requests, unusual file extensions, or repeated upload attempts targeting upload endpoints.Affected if Logs show upload attempts with executable extensions, unusually large files, or automated upload probing.
Your environment is affected if you are running IBM Planning Analytics Workspace version 2.0 and the file upload functionality is exposed without proper file type and size validation.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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.
From vendor dataImplement strict allowlist-based file type validation, enforce reasonable file size limits, store uploaded files outside the web root with non-executable permissions, and scan all uploads with antivirus software before making them accessible.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $6,176.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-39040 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-39040 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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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.
- 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