How severe is CVE-2021-20490?

CVE-2021-20490 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-20490 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (10th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-20490?

CVE-2021-20490 affects Ibm Spectrum Protect Plus. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-20490?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2021-20490 published?

CVE-2021-20490 was published on 2021-06-29 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-20490

CVE-2021-20490 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Ibm Spectrum Protect Plus with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-276.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 2.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (10th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-276
Affected product: Ibm Spectrum Protect Plus
Published: 2021-06-29
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

IBM Spectrum Protect Plus 10.1.0 through 10.1.8 could allow a local user to cause a denial of service due to insecure file permission settings. IBM X-Force ID: 197791.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-20490?: IBM Spectrum Protect Plus 10.1.0 through 10.1.8 could allow a local user to cause a denial of service due to insecure file permission settings. IBM X-Force ID: 197791.
How severe is CVE-2021-20490?: CVE-2021-20490 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-20490 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (10th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-20490?: CVE-2021-20490 affects Ibm Spectrum Protect Plus. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-20490?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2021-20490 published?: CVE-2021-20490 was published on 2021-06-29 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:ibm:spectrum_protect_plus:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Ibm Spectrum Protect Plus

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CVE-2020-4208 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): IBM Spectrum Protect Plus 10.1.0 through 10.1.5 contains hard-coded credentials, such as a password or cryptographic…
CVE-2021-39063 — Critical (CVSS 9.1): IBM Spectrum Protect Plus 10.1.0.0 through 10.1.8.x uses Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) which could allow an…
CVE-2020-4242 — High (CVSS 8.8): IBM Spectrum Scale and IBM Spectrum Protect Plus 10.1.0 through 10.1.5 could allow a remote authenticated attacker to…

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