How severe is CVE-2021-22146?

CVE-2021-22146 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2021-22146 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 28% (98th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-22146?

CVE-2021-22146 affects Elastic Elasticsearch. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-22146?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2021-22146 published?

CVE-2021-22146 was published on 2021-07-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-22146

CVE-2021-22146 is a high-severity vulnerability in Elastic Elasticsearch with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 28% places it in the 98th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 28% (98th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Elastic Elasticsearch
Published: 2021-07-21
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

All versions of Elastic Cloud Enterprise has the Elasticsearch “anonymous” user enabled by default in deployed clusters. While in the default setting the anonymous user has no permissions and is unable to successfully query any Elasticsearch APIs, an attacker could leverage the anonymous user to gain insight into certain details of a deployed cluster.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-22146?: All versions of Elastic Cloud Enterprise has the Elasticsearch “anonymous” user enabled by default in deployed clusters. While in the default setting the anonymous user has no permissions and is unable to successfully query any Elasticsearch APIs, an attacker could leverage the anonymous user to gain insight into certain details of a deployed cluster.
How severe is CVE-2021-22146?: CVE-2021-22146 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2021-22146 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 28% (98th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-22146?: CVE-2021-22146 affects Elastic Elasticsearch. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-22146?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2021-22146 published?: CVE-2021-22146 was published on 2021-07-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:elastic:elasticsearch:7.13.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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