How severe is CVE-2021-38599?

CVE-2021-38599 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-2021-38599 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (53rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-38599?

CVE-2021-38599 affects Wal-g Project Wal-g. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-38599?

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-2021-38599 published?

CVE-2021-38599 was published on 2021-08-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-38599

CVE-2021-38599 is a high-severity vulnerability in Wal-g Project Wal-g 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-754.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (53rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-754
Affected product: Wal-g Project Wal-g
Published: 2021-08-12
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

WAL-G before 1.1, when a non-libsodium build (e.g., one of the official binary releases published as GitHub Releases) is used, silently ignores the libsodium encryption key and uploads cleartext backups. This is arguably a Principle of Least Surprise violation because "the user likely wanted to encrypt all file activity."

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-38599?: WAL-G before 1.1, when a non-libsodium build (e.g., one of the official binary releases published as GitHub Releases) is used, silently ignores the libsodium encryption key and uploads cleartext backups. This is arguably a Principle of Least Surprise violation because "the user likely wanted to encrypt all file activity."
How severe is CVE-2021-38599?: CVE-2021-38599 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-2021-38599 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (53rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-38599?: CVE-2021-38599 affects Wal-g Project Wal-g. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-38599?: 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-2021-38599 published?: CVE-2021-38599 was published on 2021-08-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:wal-g_project:wal-g:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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