How severe is CVE-2021-33503?

CVE-2021-33503 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 none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-33503 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (87th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-33503?

CVE-2021-33503 primarily affects Python Urllib3. In total, 8 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-33503?

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-2021-33503 published?

CVE-2021-33503 was published on 2021-06-29 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-33503

CVE-2021-33503 is a high-severity vulnerability in Python Urllib3 with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. 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-400.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 3% (87th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-400
Affected product: Python Urllib3
Published: 2021-06-29
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An issue was discovered in urllib3 before 1.26.5. When provided with a URL containing many @ characters in the authority component, the authority regular expression exhibits catastrophic backtracking, causing a denial of service if a URL were passed as a parameter or redirected to via an HTTP redirect.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-33503?: An issue was discovered in urllib3 before 1.26.5. When provided with a URL containing many @ characters in the authority component, the authority regular expression exhibits catastrophic backtracking, causing a denial of service if a URL were passed as a parameter or redirected to via an HTTP redirect.
How severe is CVE-2021-33503?: CVE-2021-33503 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 none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-33503 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (87th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-33503?: CVE-2021-33503 primarily affects Python Urllib3. In total, 8 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-33503?: 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-2021-33503 published?: CVE-2021-33503 was published on 2021-06-29 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (8)

cpe:2.3:a:python:urllib3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:33:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:34:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:enterprise_manager_ops_center:12.4.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:instantis_enterprisetrack:17.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:instantis_enterprisetrack:17.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:instantis_enterprisetrack:17.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:zfs_storage_appliance_kit:8.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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