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CVE-2021-4104 Apache Log4j

Affected softwareApache Log4j
Severity7.5 High CVSS 3.1 3 scores
WeaknessDeserialization of untrusted data (CWE-502)
Published14 Dec 2021
Updated13 Nov 2026

Description

JMSAppender in Log4j 1.2 is vulnerable to deserialization of untrusted data when the attacker has write access to the Log4j configuration. The attacker can provide TopicBindingName and TopicConnectionFactoryBindingName configurations causing JMSAppender to perform JNDI requests that result in remote code execution in a similar fashion to CVE-2021-44228. Note this issue only affects Log4j 1.2 when specifically configured to use JMSAppender, which is not the default. Apache Log4j 1.2 reached end of life in August 2015. Users should upgrade to Log4j 2 as it addresses numerous other issues from the previous versions.

Exploitation status

Exploited

Real-world exploitation reported by VulnCheck KEV. CISA has not confirmed it.

  • CISA KEV not listed
  • VulnCheck KEV listed Exploitation reported in the wild. 3 citations · 1 exploit · earliest 2022-04-26.
  • CISA Vulnrichment exploitation: none
  • Indexed PoC 2 indexed Published artifacts you can open, in GitHub PoC; first seen 2021-12-14.
  • EPSS 81% chance in 30 days A model's forecast, not a report of exploitation. Higher than 99.6% of all scored CVEs.

VulnCheck KEV

Exploitation evidence from VulnCheck Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (VulnCheck KEV), used under VulnCheck's community terms. View CVE-2021-4104 in VulnCheck (free account).

EvidenceSourceDetailDate
Reported exploitation pwc.com /gx/en/issues/cybersecurity/cyber-threat-intelligence/cyber-year-in-retrospect/yir-cyber-threats-annex-download.pdf 2022-04-26
Reported exploitation secureworks.com /research/gold-melody-profile-of-an-initial-access-broker 2023-09-20
Reported exploitation secureworks.com /research/threat-profiles/gold-melody 2023-09-21
Exploit reference VulnCheck XDB 20fe098db6e5 Exploit type: local 2021-12-14

1 of these are GitHub repositories with fewer than 5 stars. They are listed for reference and don't count toward the exploitation status above.

IndexArtifactStarsFirst seen
GitHub PoC log4j 1.x RCE Poc -- CVE-2021-4104 20 2021-12-14
GitHub PoC Log4j version 1.2.17 without the offending class responsible for CVE-2021-4104. 2022-01-10

Waratek protection

Protected by Waratek

Waratek has a rule that blocks attacks on this vulnerability.

Decided by An ARMR patch file on disk for this CVE
Finding CVE has an ARMR patch rule that provides mitigation

ARMR rule files

1 file

The rule files Waratek ships for this CVE. Some CVEs need more than one, for example one per affected library or one per ARMR version.

CVE-2021-4104.armr patch rule, ARMR 2.6 added 2021-12-15 updated 2026-03-04

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: file rule & deserial sys rule, Marshal RCE rule, Process rule and Deserial RCE rule, mitigated by set of File, Socket and Deserialization rules

Rule example

app("File read protect mod"):
    requires(version: ARMR/2.8)
    filesystem("Protect read access in specific directory"):
        read("/tmp/*")
        protect(message: "Unauthorized file read blocked", severity: 8)
    endfilesystem
endapp
app("myapp"):
    requires(version: ARMR/2.8)
    marshal("protect the app from remote-code-execution attack"):
        deserialize(java)
        rce()
        protect(message: "the logging message", severity: Low)
    endmarshal
endapp
app("Socket Client Bind Mod Multiple Rules"):
    requires(version: ARMR/2.8)
    socket("Socket bind protect all"):
        bind(client: "0.0.0.0:0")
        protect(message: "Socket rule protect 0.0.0.0:0", severity: High)
    endsocket
    socket("Socket bind allow specific"):
        bind(client: "127.0.0.1:5000")
        allow(message: "Socket rule allow 127.0.0.1:5000", severity: Medium)
    endsocket
endapp

How to mitigate CVE-2021-4104

Apply the vendor's fix for Apache Log4j. Until you can, Waratek RASP blocks exploitation with a rule written for this CVE. It runs inside the Java application, with no code changes.

Waratek RASP Runtime protection for Java applications

CVSS

7.5 HIGH v3.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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.

VersionScoreBandVectorAssignerType
CVSS 3.1 7.5 HIGH CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H NVD Primary published
CVSS 3.1 7.5 HIGH CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H CISA-ADP Secondary
CVSS 2.0 6.0 none AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P NVD Primary

Affected software and releases

Oracle advisories

AdvisoryTypeQuarterProducts Oracle names in its risk matrix
Oracle Critical Security Patch Update August 2026 ↗ CSPU 2026-Q3 Oracle Hyperion / Common Events (Apache Log4j) (11.2.25.0.000)
Oracle Critical Patch Update January 2024 ↗ CPU 2024-Q1 Oracle Communications Applications / Security (Apache Log4j) (7.4.0, 7.4.1)
Oracle Critical Patch Update July 2023 ↗ CPU 2023-Q3 Oracle Fusion Middleware / Web Console Design (Apache Log4j) (12.2.1.4.0)
Oracle Critical Patch Update April 2023 ↗ CPU 2023-Q2 Oracle Utilities Applications / General (Apache Log4j) (4.2.0.3.0)
Oracle Critical Patch Update October 2022 ↗ CPU 2022-Q4 Oracle Enterprise Manager / Application Service Level Management (Apache Log4j) (13.4.0.0)
Oracle Critical Patch Update January 2022 ↗ CPU 2022-Q1 Oracle Fusion Middleware / Centralized Thirdparty Jars (Apache Log4j) (12.1.3.0.0, 12.2.1.3.0, 12.2.1.4.0, 14.1.1.0.0)
Oracle Retail Applications / General (Apache Log4j) (14.1.3.2, 15.0.3.1, 16.0.3, 19.0.1)
Oracle Utilities Applications / Tools (Apache Log4j) (6.0.0.1.1, 6.0.0.2.2, 6.0.0.3.1)

Oracle components and versions

FamilyComponentVersions, as Oracle lists themRead as
Oracle Communications Applications Security (Apache Log4j) 7.4.0, 7.4.1 7.4.0 · 7.4.1
Oracle Enterprise Manager Application Service Level Management (Apache Log4j) 13.4.0.0 13.4.0.0
Oracle Fusion Middleware Centralized Thirdparty Jars (Apache Log4j) 12.1.3.0.0, 12.2.1.3.0, 12.2.1.4.0, 14.1.1.0.0 12.1.3.0.0 · 12.2.1.3.0 · 12.2.1.4.0 · 14.1.1.0.0
Oracle Fusion Middleware Web Console Design (Apache Log4j) 12.2.1.4.0 12.2.1.4.0
Oracle Hyperion Common Events (Apache Log4j) 11.2.25.0.000 11.2.25.0.0
Oracle Retail Applications General (Apache Log4j) 14.1.3.2, 15.0.3.1, 16.0.3, 19.0.1 14.1.3.2 · 15.0.3.1 · 16.0.3 · 19.0.1
Oracle Utilities Applications General (Apache Log4j) 4.2.0.3.0 4.2.0.3.0
Oracle Utilities Applications Tools (Apache Log4j) 6.0.0.1.1, 6.0.0.2.2, 6.0.0.3.1 6.0.0.1.1 · 6.0.0.2.2 · 6.0.0.3.1

Maven packages

Affected and fixed versions, from OSV.dev
PackageIntroducedFixedLast affected
log4j:log4j 1.2.0 none 1.2.17
org.zenframework.z8.dependencies.commons:log4j-1.2.17 0 none 2.0

Products and versions

48 products, 74 version entries
SourceVendorProductSchemeAffected versions
nvd apache log4j generic 1.2
nvd fedoraproject fedora generic 35
osv log4j log4j generic ≥ 1.2.0 and ≤ 1.2.17
nvd oracle advanced supply chain planning generic 12.1 · 12.2
nvd oracle business intelligence generic 5.9.0.0.0 · 12.2.1.3.0 · 12.2.1.4.0
nvd oracle business process management suite generic 12.2.1.3.0 · 12.2.1.4.0
nvd oracle communications eagle ftp table base retrieval generic 4.5
nvd oracle communications messaging server generic 8.1
nvd oracle communications network integrity generic 7.3.6
nvd oracle communications offline mediation controller generic < 12.0.0.4.0 · 12.0.0.5.0
nvd oracle communications unified inventory management generic 7.3.4 · 7.3.5 · 7.4.1 · 7.4.2
nvd oracle e-business suite cloud manager and cloud backup module generic 2.2.1.1.1
nvd oracle enterprise manager base platform generic 13.4.0.0 · 13.5.0.0
nvd oracle financial services revenue management and billing analytics generic 2.7.0.0 · 2.7.0.1 · 2.8.0.0
nvd oracle fusion middleware common libraries and tools generic 12.2.1.4.0
nvd oracle goldengate generic any version
nvd oracle healthcare data repository generic 8.1.0
nvd oracle hyperion data relationship management generic < 11.2.8.0
nvd oracle hyperion infrastructure technology generic < 11.2.8.0
nvd oracle identity management suite generic 12.2.1.3.0 · 12.2.1.4.0
nvd oracle jdeveloper generic 12.2.1.3.0
nvd oracle mysql enterprise monitor generic ≤ 8.0.29
nvd oracle retail allocation generic 14.1.3.2 · 15.0.3.1 · 16.0.3 · 19.0.1
nvd oracle retail extract transform and load generic 13.2.5
nvd oracle stream analytics generic any version
nvd oracle timesten grid generic any version
nvd oracle tuxedo generic 12.2.2.0.0
nvd oracle utilities testing accelerator generic 6.0.0.1.1 · 6.0.0.2.2 · 6.0.0.3.1
nvd oracle weblogic server generic 12.2.1.3.0 · 12.2.1.4.0 · 14.1.1.0.0
osv org.zenframework.z8.dependencies.commons log4j-1.2.17 generic ≤ 2.0
nvd redhat codeready studio generic 12.0
nvd redhat enterprise linux generic 6.0 · 7.0 · 8.0
nvd redhat integration camel k generic any version
nvd redhat integration camel quarkus generic any version
nvd redhat jboss a-mq generic 6.0.0 · 7
nvd redhat jboss a-mq streaming generic any version
nvd redhat jboss data grid generic 7.0.0
nvd redhat jboss data virtualization generic 6.0.0
nvd redhat jboss enterprise application platform generic 6.0.0 · 7.0
nvd redhat jboss fuse generic 6.0.0 · 7.0.0
nvd redhat jboss fuse service works generic 6.0
nvd redhat jboss operations network generic 3.0
nvd redhat jboss web server generic 3.0
nvd redhat openshift application runtimes generic any version
nvd redhat openshift container platform generic 4.6 · 4.7 · 4.8
nvd redhat process automation generic 7.0
nvd redhat single sign-on generic 7.0
nvd redhat software collections generic any version

Earlier manual review

A reviewer classified this CVE in an older dataset. We kept the labels and products below, but not the reviewer's reasoning.

## Manual Classification Context **Labels:** HTTP, TOOLS (APACHE LOG4J), GENERAL (APACHE LOG4J), CENTRALIZED THIRDPARTY JARS (APACHE LOG4J) **Products:** ORACLE RETAIL APPLICATIONS, ORACLE WEBLOGIC SERVER, ORACLE UTILITIES TESTING ACCELERATOR, ORACLE RETAIL ALLOCATION, ORACLE UTILITIES APPLICATIONS, ORACLE FUSION MIDDLEWARE

References

URLTags
https://github.com/apache/logging-log4j2/pull/608#issuecomment-990494126 WEB
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-4104 WEB
https://github.com/apache/logging-log4j2 PACKAGE
https://psirt.global.sonicwall.com/vuln-detail/SNWLID-2021-0033 WEB
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202209-02 WEB
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202310-16 WEB
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202312-02 WEB
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202312-04 WEB
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211223-0007 WEB
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-44228 WEB

Timeline

Published2021-12-14By the CVE Program.
ARMR remediation created2021-12-15Earliest commit adding this CVE's ARMR patch or security rule.
VulnCheck KEV: earliest evidence2022-04-26Date of the oldest evidence of exploitation in VulnCheck KEV's record. VulnCheck does not publish the date it listed the CVE.
VulnCheck KEV: latest evidence2023-09-21Date of the newest report, exploit reference or honeypot sighting in VulnCheck KEV's record.
ARMR remediation last updated2026-03-04Most recent commit touching this CVE's ARMR patch or security rule.
NVD record modified2026-06-17NVD's own last-modified date for this record.
Classification created2026-11-13First commit adding this CVE's research note.
Last VRT activity2026-11-13Most recent commit touching this CVE's classification, patch or rule file.