`CVE-2021-39144` XStream

Affected software	XStream
Severity	8.5 High CVSS 3.1 3 scores
Fixed in	`1.4.18`
Weakness	Code injection (CWE-94)
Published	23 Aug 2021
Updated	13 Nov 2026

Description

XStream is a simple library to serialize objects to XML and back again. In affected versions this vulnerability may allow a remote attacker has sufficient rights to execute commands of the host only by manipulating the processed input stream. No user is affected, who followed the recommendation to setup XStream's security framework with a whitelist limited to the minimal required types. XStream 1.4.18 uses no longer a blacklist by default, since it cannot be secured for general purpose.

CWE-502 · Deserialization of untrusted dataCWE-306 · Missing authentication

Exploitation status

Exploited

Confirmed real-world exploitation.

CISA KEV listed Confirmed exploitation in the wild. Added 2023-03-10 · remediation due 2023-03-31 · ransomware use: unknown
VulnCheck KEV listed Exploitation reported in the wild. 2 citations · honeypot sightings · earliest 2023-03-08.
CISA Vulnrichment exploitation: active CISA records active exploitation. Automatable: no, technical impact: total.
Indexed PoC 2 indexed Published artifacts you can open, in Metasploit, Nuclei.
EPSS 98% chance in 30 days A model's forecast, not a report of exploitation. Higher than 99.9% of all scored CVEs.

VulnCheck KEV

Exploitation evidence from VulnCheck Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (VulnCheck KEV), used under VulnCheck's community terms. View CVE-2021-39144 in VulnCheck (free account).

Evidence	Source	Detail	Date
Honeypot sighting	Shadowserver honeypots	Exploitation attempts seen on 398 days	2023-12-31 to 2026-11-01
Honeypot sighting	VulnCheck canaries	Exploitation attempts seen on 12 days	2025-10-14 to 2026-10-29
Reported exploitation	lab.wallarm.com	/vmware-nsx-manager-vulnerabilities-being-actively-exploited-in-the-wild	2023-03-08
Reported exploitation	cisa.gov	/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json	2023-03-10

Evidence

Source

Detail

Date

Honeypot sighting

Shadowserver honeypots

Exploitation attempts seen on 398 days

2023-12-31 to 2026-11-01

Honeypot sighting

VulnCheck canaries

Exploitation attempts seen on 12 days

2025-10-14 to 2026-10-29

Reported exploitation

lab.wallarm.com

/vmware-nsx-manager-vulnerabilities-being-actively-exploited-in-the-wild

2023-03-08

Reported exploitation

cisa.gov

/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json

2023-03-10

Index	Artifact	Stars	First seen
Metasploit	VMware NSX Manager XStream unauthenticated RCE (excellent rank)
Nuclei	XStream 1.4.18 - Remote Code Execution

Index

Artifact

Stars

First seen

Metasploit

VMware NSX Manager XStream unauthenticated RCE (excellent rank)

Nuclei

XStream 1.4.18 - Remote Code Execution

Waratek protection

Protected by Waratek

Waratek has a rule that blocks attacks on this vulnerability.

Protection full Process
Action available security rule
Review human Researcher
Record active

Decided by	A researcher's recorded decision for this specific CVE
Finding	A researcher found this CVE protected by the ARMR Process PROTECT rule.

Decided by

A researcher's recorded decision for this specific CVE

Finding

A researcher found this CVE protected by the ARMR Process PROTECT rule.

Waratek research note

written 2026-11-13

Written by a Waratek engineer who reviewed this CVE. Their decision sets the status above, ahead of every automated rule except a withdrawal.

Comments

Rule Name: ARMR Process PROTECT rule

How to mitigate CVE-2021-39144

Upgrade XStream to 1.4.18 or later. Until you can, Waratek RASP blocks exploitation with its process rule. It runs inside the Java application, with no code changes.

Waratek RASP Runtime protection for Java applications

CVSS

8.5 HIGH v3.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H 3 metrics

We show the highest score from the newest CVSS version. Scores from different versions can't be compared, and the first score listed is sometimes a 0.0 placeholder.

Version Score Band Vector Assigner Type

CVSS 3.1 8.5 HIGH CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H security-advisories@github.com Secondary published

CVSS 3.1 8.5 HIGH CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H NVD Primary

CVSS 2.0 6.0 none AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P NVD Primary

Version	Score	Band	Vector	Assigner	Type
CVSS 3.1	8.5	HIGH	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`	security-advisories@github.com	Secondary	published
CVSS 3.1	8.5	HIGH	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`	NVD	Primary
CVSS 2.0	6.0	none	`AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P`	NVD	Primary

Affected software and releases

Maven packages

Affected and fixed versions, from OSV.dev

Package Introduced Fixed Last affected

com.thoughtworks.xstream:xstream 0 1.4.18 unbounded

Package	Introduced	Fixed	Last affected
`com.thoughtworks.xstream:xstream`	0	`1.4.18`	unbounded

Products and versions

16 products, 36 version entries

Source	Vendor	Product	Scheme	Affected versions
osv	com.thoughtworks.xstream	xstream	generic	＜ 1.4.18
nvd	debian	debian linux	generic	9.0 · 10.0 · 11.0
nvd	fedoraproject	fedora	generic	33 · 34 · 35
nvd	netapp	snapmanager	generic	any version
nvd	oracle	business activity monitoring	generic	12.2.1.4.0
nvd	oracle	commerce guided search	generic	11.3.2
nvd	oracle	communications billing and revenue management elastic charging engine	generic	11.3 · 12.0
nvd	oracle	communications cloud native core automated test suite	generic	1.9.0
nvd	oracle	communications cloud native core binding support function	generic	1.10.0
nvd	oracle	communications cloud native core policy	generic	1.14.0
nvd	oracle	communications unified inventory management	generic	7.3.4 · 7.3.5 · 7.4.0 · 7.4.1 · 7.4.2
nvd	oracle	retail xstore point of service	generic	16.0.6 · 17.0.4 · 18.0.3 · 19.0.2 · 20.0.1
nvd	oracle	utilities framework	generic	4.2.0.2.0 · 4.2.0.3.0 · 4.3.0.1.0 · 4.3.0.6.0 · 4.4.0.0.0 · 4.4.0.2.0 · 4.4.0.3.0
nvd	oracle	utilities testing accelerator	generic	6.0.0.1.1
nvd	oracle	webcenter portal	generic	12.2.1.3.0 · 12.2.1.4.0
nvd	xstream	xstream	generic	＜ 1.4.18

Source

Vendor

Product

Scheme

Affected versions

osv

com.thoughtworks.xstream

xstream

generic

＜ 1.4.18

nvd

debian

debian linux

generic

9.0 · 10.0 · 11.0

nvd

fedoraproject

fedora

generic

33 · 34 · 35

nvd

netapp

snapmanager

generic

any version

nvd

oracle

business activity monitoring

generic

12.2.1.4.0

nvd

oracle

commerce guided search

generic

11.3.2

nvd

oracle

communications billing and revenue management elastic charging engine

generic

11.3 · 12.0

nvd

oracle

communications cloud native core automated test suite

generic

1.9.0

nvd

oracle

communications cloud native core binding support function

generic

1.10.0

nvd

oracle

communications cloud native core policy

generic

1.14.0

nvd

oracle

communications unified inventory management

generic

7.3.4 · 7.3.5 · 7.4.0 · 7.4.1 · 7.4.2

nvd

oracle

retail xstore point of service

generic

16.0.6 · 17.0.4 · 18.0.3 · 19.0.2 · 20.0.1

nvd

oracle

utilities framework

generic

4.2.0.2.0 · 4.2.0.3.0 · 4.3.0.1.0 · 4.3.0.6.0 · 4.4.0.0.0 · 4.4.0.2.0 · 4.4.0.3.0

nvd

oracle

utilities testing accelerator

generic

6.0.0.1.1

nvd

oracle

webcenter portal

generic

12.2.1.3.0 · 12.2.1.4.0

nvd

xstream

generic

＜ 1.4.18

References

URL	Tags
https://github.com/x-stream/xstream/security/advisories/GHSA-j9h8-phrw-h4fh	WEB
https://x-stream.github.io/CVE-2021-39144.html	WEB
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujul2022.html	WEB
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2022.html	WEB
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2022.html	WEB
https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-5004	WEB
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-39144	WEB
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210923-0003	WEB
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/QGXIU3YDPG6OGTDHMBLAFN7BPBERXREB	WEB
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/PVPHZA7VW2RRSDCOIPP2W6O5ND254TU7	WEB

URL

Timeline

Published	2021-08-23	By the CVE Program.
VulnCheck KEV: earliest evidence	2023-03-08	Date of the oldest evidence of exploitation in VulnCheck KEV's record. VulnCheck does not publish the date it listed the CVE.
Added to CISA KEV	2023-03-10	Listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
NVD record modified	2026-06-17	NVD's own last-modified date for this record.
VulnCheck KEV: latest evidence	2026-11-01	Date of the newest report, exploit reference or honeypot sighting in VulnCheck KEV's record.
Classification created	2026-11-13	First commit adding this CVE's research note.
Last VRT activity	2026-11-13	Most recent commit touching this CVE's classification, patch or rule file.

Published

2021-08-23

By the CVE Program.

VulnCheck KEV: earliest evidence

2023-03-08

Date of the oldest evidence of exploitation in VulnCheck KEV's record. VulnCheck does not publish the date it listed the CVE.

Added to CISA KEV

2023-03-10

Listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

NVD record modified

2026-06-17

NVD's own last-modified date for this record.

VulnCheck KEV: latest evidence

2026-11-01

Date of the newest report, exploit reference or honeypot sighting in VulnCheck KEV's record.

Classification created

2026-11-13

First commit adding this CVE's research note.

Last VRT activity

2026-11-13

Most recent commit touching this CVE's classification, patch or rule file.

How VRT decided (4 of 24 rules ran)

4 of 24 rules ran. The rest didn't run because an earlier rule had already settled the CVE.

# Rule Outcome Status Detail

identity: Does this identifier describe a vulnerability at all? the first rule that matches decides

1 rejected no match CVE Program withdrawal of this identifier

scope: Is it a vulnerability Waratek protects? the first rule that matches decides

2 armr-patch-file no match An ARMR patch file on disk for this CVE

3 armr-secure-rule-file no match An ARMR security-rule template on disk for this CVE

4 manual-classification decided it matched Protected by Waratek A researcher found this CVE protected by the ARMR Process PROTECT rule.

5 manual classification not reached Manual classification of this CVE in the legacy dataset

6 non-java-upstream not reached A root cause in non-Java code: an OS kernel, a C library, or a bundled runtime

7 oracle-component not reached The defect being in a component of a tracked product the agent does not reach: JavaFX, the Java SE installer, the JInitiator browser plug-in, the native WebLogic proxy plug-in, or a native part of Oracle Application Server or Collaboration Suite (HTTP Server, Web Cache, Internet Directory, mail and calendar servers). Oracle gives these no CPE of their own and names them only in the description.

8 java-client-side not reached Oracle's own risk-matrix note saying the CVE is reached only through untrusted code in the Java sandbox (applets, Web Start) or only through a client installation of Java, so a server running its own trusted code is not exposed

9 osv-maven not reached An OSV.dev record of this CVE affecting a package published to Maven Central. When every such package is one business applications do not use (Minecraft mods and launchers, Fastjson) and no tracked product is named by CPE, it settles the CVE as Outside Waratek scope instead

10 cna-maven-package not reached An affected Maven artifact named by the CNA itself

11 known-cpe-product not reached An NVD CPE naming a product ARMR tracks

12 cna-cpe-product not reached A CPE the CNA published naming a tracked product. Oracle publishes these on advisory day, months before NVD.

13 oracle-advisory-family not reached A tracked product family named in Oracle's own risk matrix. CPE cannot carry a suite name, only a module.

14 cna-named-product not reached A tracked product named in words by the CVE's own CNA, on a record with no CPE yet. Apache and Eclipse publish these on advisory day, before NVD adds CPE data.

15 non-deployable-product not reached The only affected product being a sealed appliance image, where Java runs but no -javaagent can be attached

16 unmatched-product not reached No tracked product matched above, and none present at all

disposition: What do we do about one that is? every rule runs

17 patch-hint not reached A reference pointing at the upstream fix: a commit, a PR, a Red Hat bug

18 open-source-maven not reached The affected package being open source on Maven, so the fix can be read

19 poc-derivable not reached An indexed exploit clearing the evidence bar to reverse-engineer, where there is no source to read

20 no-exploit not reached Nothing to build a rule from yet: no published exploit, no CISA record of exploitation and no source-level change to read

21 secure-rule-match not reached A vulnerability class already blocked by an ARMR security rule

22 exploited-no-fix-or-poc not reached Somebody exploiting this CVE (a CISA or VulnCheck KEV listing, or a CISA verdict of active exploitation), with no fix, source code or PoC to build a rule from

23 below-action-threshold not reached Medium or Low severity, no CISA or VulnCheck KEV listing, no PoC clearing the evidence bar, no CISA verdict, no Oracle advisory

24 no-exploit-published not reached Exploit code for this candidate, published in a reviewed catalogue or a GitHub repository with 5 or more stars, or in use per CISA or VulnCheck; not only a CISA verdict, a forecast, or nothing at all

NVD ↗ · CVE.org ↗