How severe is CVE-2021-21394?

CVE-2021-21394 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-21394 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (72nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-21394?

CVE-2021-21394 primarily affects Matrix Synapse. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-21394?

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

When was CVE-2021-21394 published?

CVE-2021-21394 was published on 2021-04-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-21394

CVE-2021-21394 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Matrix Synapse with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3. 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-20.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.3)
CVSS v2: 4.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (72nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Matrix Synapse
Published: 2021-04-12
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Synapse is a Matrix reference homeserver written in python (pypi package matrix-synapse). Matrix is an ecosystem for open federated Instant Messaging and VoIP. In Synapse before version 1.28.0 Synapse is missing input validation of some parameters on the endpoints used to confirm third-party identifiers could cause excessive use of disk space and memory leading to resource exhaustion. Note that the groups feature is not part of the Matrix specification and the chosen maximum lengths are arbitrary. Not all clients might abide by them. Refer to referenced GitHub security advisory for additional details including workarounds.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-21394?: Synapse is a Matrix reference homeserver written in python (pypi package matrix-synapse). Matrix is an ecosystem for open federated Instant Messaging and VoIP. In Synapse before version 1.28.0 Synapse is missing input validation of some parameters on the endpoints used to confirm third-party identifiers could cause excessive use of disk space and memory leading to resource exhaustion. Note that the groups feature is not part of the Matrix specification and the chosen maximum lengths are arbitrary. Not all clients might abide by them. Refer to referenced GitHub security advisory for additional details including workarounds.
How severe is CVE-2021-21394?: CVE-2021-21394 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-21394 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (72nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-21394?: CVE-2021-21394 primarily affects Matrix Synapse. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-21394?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2021-21394 published?: CVE-2021-21394 was published on 2021-04-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:matrix:synapse:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:34:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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