dbcve.org
Sterling File GatewayApplication · Ibm

CVE-2021-39086

MEDIUM · 5.3 CVSS v3.1 Published 2022-08-16
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 6.0.3.6 / 6.1.0.5 or later.
See remediation →
62/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
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 Sterling File Gateway 6.0.0.0 through 6.0.3.5, 6.1.0.0 through 6.1.0.4, and 6.1.1.0 through 6.1.1.1 could allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information when a detailed technical error message is returned in the browser. This information could be used in further attacks against the system. IBM X-Force ID: 215889.

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 confidence

IBM Sterling File Gateway returns detailed technical error messages in browser responses, allowing remote attackers to obtain sensitive system information (potentially including stack traces, file paths, configuration details, or internal application logic) that could be leveraged for further attacks.

MitigationConfigure the application to return generic, user-friendly error messages instead of detailed technical stack traces or diagnostic information. Disable verbose error reporting in production environments.

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
Sterling File GatewayApplication
Affected:>= 6.0.0.0, < 6.0.3.6>= 6.1.0.0, < 6.1.0.5>= 6.1.1.0, < 6.1.1.2

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
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/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 installed IBM Sterling File Gateway version
    Locate the version information in the product's about or system information page, or check the installation directory for version files. IBM Sterling File Gateway is typically installed as part of the IBM Sterling Connect:Direct or Sterling B2B Integrator product suite.
    Affected if The installed version falls within 6.0.0.0 through 6.0.3.5, 6.1.0.0 through 6.1.0.4, or 6.1.1.0 through 6.1.1.1.
  2. Trigger an error condition to observe response
    Send a request that causes the application to return an error, such as an invalid input, malformed request, or access to a non-existent resource. This can be done via the web interface or API endpoints.
    Affected if The HTTP response contains detailed technical information such as Java stack traces, file paths, internal class names, SQL queries, or configuration details rather than a generic user-friendly message.
  3. Inspect browser developer tools for error responses
    Open the browser developer console or network tab and trigger errors. Examine the response body, headers, and any error pages returned by the server.
    Affected if Error responses include verbose diagnostic output, exception messages, or system-level information visible in the response body.
  4. Check application error handling configuration
    Examine the application configuration files or admin settings related to error reporting, debug mode, or verbose logging. Look for settings that control error message verbosity.
    Affected if Debug mode, verbose error reporting, or detailed exception handling is enabled in the configuration.

You are affected if your IBM Sterling File Gateway version is within the affected ranges AND your application returns detailed technical error messages (stack traces, file paths, internal details) instead of generic error pages when errors occur.

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 6.0.3.6 / 6.1.0.5 / 6.1.1.2 or later
Fixed in 6.0.3.66.1.0.56.1.1.2
Interim mitigation

Configure the application to return generic, user-friendly error messages instead of detailed technical stack traces or diagnostic information. Disable verbose error reporting in production environments.

Recommended fix High confidence

6.0.3.6 for 6.0.x branch; 6.1.0.5 for 6.1.0.x branch; 6.1.1.2 for 6.1.1.x branch

  1. Identify the currently installed IBM Sterling File Gateway version using the system administration console or version check utility
  2. Determine which version branch your current installation belongs to (6.0.x, 6.1.0.x, or 6.1.1.x)
  3. For version 6.0.0.0 through 6.0.3.5: upgrade to version 6.0.3.6 or later
  4. For version 6.1.0.0 through 6.1.0.4: upgrade to version 6.1.0.5 or later
  5. For version 6.1.1.0 through 6.1.1.1: upgrade to version 6.1.1.2 or later
  6. Obtain the upgrade package from IBM Fix Central (https://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral)
  7. Review IBM Sterling File Gateway upgrade documentation before proceeding
  8. Schedule a maintenance window as upgrades require system downtime
Caveat Standard IBM product upgrade considerations apply - review compatibility notes and ensure prerequisites are met; may require downtime

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

Fix this in Sterling File Gateway Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
9.0 hours of engineering $1,600
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,560.

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally
dbcve dependency scanner

Check whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-39086 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.

Get it on GitHub Scan in the browser

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-2021-39086 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.

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