CVE-2021-29427

CVE-2021-29427 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gradle with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.0. 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-829.

Key facts

Description

In Gradle from version 5.1 and before version 7.0 there is a vulnerability which can lead to information disclosure and/or dependency poisoning. Repository content filtering is a security control Gradle introduced to help users specify what repositories are used to resolve specific dependencies. This feature was introduced in the wake of the "A Confusing Dependency" blog post. In some cases, Gradle may ignore content filters and search all repositories for dependencies. This only occurs when repository content filtering is used from within a `pluginManagement` block in a settings file. This may change how dependencies are resolved for Gradle plugins and build scripts. For builds that are vulnerable, there are two risks: 1) Information disclosure: Gradle could make dependency requests to repositories outside your organization and leak internal package identifiers. 2) Dependency poisoning/Dependency confusion: Gradle could download a malicious binary from a repository outside your organization due to name squatting. For a full example and more details refer to the referenced GitHub Security Advisory. The problem has been patched and released with Gradle 7.0. Users relying on this feature should upgrade their build as soon as possible. As a workaround, users may use a company repository which has the right rules for fetching packages from public repositories, or use project level repository content filtering, inside `buildscript.repositories`. This option is available since Gradle 5.1 when the feature was introduced.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-29427?
In Gradle from version 5.1 and before version 7.0 there is a vulnerability which can lead to information disclosure and/or dependency poisoning. Repository content filtering is a security control Gradle introduced to help users specify what repositories are used to resolve specific dependencies. This feature was introduced in the wake of the "A Confusing Dependency" blog post. In some cases, Gradle may ignore content filters and search all repositories for dependencies. This only occurs when repository content filtering is used from within a `pluginManagement` block in a settings file. This may change how dependencies are resolved for Gradle plugins and build scripts. For builds that are vulnerable, there are two risks: 1) Information disclosure: Gradle could make dependency requests to repositories outside your organization and leak internal package identifiers. 2) Dependency poisoning/Dependency confusion: Gradle could download a malicious binary from a repository outside your organization due to name squatting. For a full example and more details refer to the referenced GitHub Security Advisory. The problem has been patched and released with Gradle 7.0. Users relying on this feature should upgrade their build as soon as possible. As a workaround, users may use a company repository which has the right rules for fetching packages from public repositories, or use project level repository content filtering, inside `buildscript.repositories`. This option is available since Gradle 5.1 when the feature was introduced.
How severe is CVE-2021-29427?
CVE-2021-29427 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-29427 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (67th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-29427?
CVE-2021-29427 primarily affects Gradle. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-29427?
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-2021-29427 published?
CVE-2021-29427 was published on 2021-04-13 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

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