Evidence used
- No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
- EPSS is 0.77% for the current model date.
BlackTreeCVE IntelligenceFull vulnerability report · 2022
CVE-2021-3956High confidence
Lenovo XClarity Controller (XCC) — Incorrect Authorization
Lenovo · XClarity Controller (XCC)
4.3MediumCVSS 3.1
Scheduled
Patch availableMedium technical severity with no CISA KEV confirmation; remediate through the normal risk-based patch cycle unless local exposure raises the priority.
R
Open reassessment dashboard →Operational reassessment
Published severity in operational context
Published severityMedium→Operational priority:Medium, unchanged from published severity.unchanged
Compensating controls
- Validate the affected product branch and deploy the verified fixed release.
- Restrict local access and enforce least privilege on affected hosts.
- Monitor vendor guidance and exploitation sources for a material change.
Verification
- Confirm that the asset runs Lenovo XClarity Controller (XCC) and falls inside the recorded affected range.
- Verify the installed build against the product-specific fixed version after deployment.
- Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
- Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Medium technical severity with no CISA KEV confirmation; remediate through the normal risk-based patch cycle unless local exposure raises the priority.
Patch available01
What, why and how
A read-only authentication bypass vulnerability was reported in the Third Quarter 2021 release of Lenovo XClarity Controller (XCC) firmware affecting XCC devices configured in LDAP Authentication Only Mode and using an LDAP server that supports “unauthenticated bind”, such as Microsoft Active Directory. An unauthenticated user can gain read-only access to XCC in such a configuration, thereby allowing the XCC device configuration to be viewed but not changed. XCC devices configured to use local authentication, LDAP Authentication + Authorization Mode, or LDAP servers that support only “authenticated bind” and/or “anonymous bind” are not affected.
What
A read-only authentication bypass vulnerability was reported in the Third Quarter 2021 release of Lenovo XClarity Controller (XCC) firmware affecting XCC devices configured in LDAP Authentication Only Mode and using an LDAP server that supports “unauthenticated bind”, such as Microsoft Active Directory. An unauthenticated user can gain read-only access to XCC in such a configuration, thereby allowing the XCC device configuration to be viewed but not changed. XCC devices configured to use local authentication, LDAP Authentication + Authorization Mode, or LDAP servers that support only “authenticated bind” and/or “anonymous bind” are not affected.
Why
The application performs an authorisation check, but it does not correctly enforce the required permission boundary.
How
An attacker operating through an adjacent network may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may bypass an access boundary or take over an account.
What
A read-only authentication bypass vulnerability was reported in the Third Quarter 2021 release of Lenovo XClarity Controller (XCC) firmware affecting XCC devices configured in LDAP Authentication Only Mode and using an LDAP server that supports “unauthenticated bind”, such as Microsoft Active Directory. An unauthenticated user can gain read-only access to XCC in such a configuration, thereby allowing the XCC device configuration to be viewed but not changed. XCC devices configured to use local authentication, LDAP Authentication + Authorization Mode, or LDAP servers that support only “authenticated bind” and/or “anonymous bind” are not affected.
Why
The application performs an authorisation check, but it does not correctly enforce the required permission boundary.
How
An attacker operating through an adjacent network may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may bypass an access boundary or take over an account.
02
Exploit reality and attack path
CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.
Observed exploitation No confirmed evidence
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.
Public PoC / exploit material None recorded
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.
- Likely attack path
- an adjacent network → Incorrect Authorization → bypass an access boundary or take over an account
- Attack surface
- Adjacent
- Privileges required
- None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
- Security boundary
- Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
- Weakness
?
CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness. - CWE-863 ↗
CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization. The product performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action, but it does not correctly perform the check.
- CVSS vector
?
CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity. CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:NCommon Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVAdjacentAttack vector: The attacker must be on an adjacent or logically close network.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CLowConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a limited loss.INoneIntegrity impact: No direct loss is represented by this metric.ANoneAvailability impact: No direct loss is represented by this metric.- Post-exploitation / living off the land
- Stolen credentials, tokens and legitimate administration functions may provide continued access without deploying a large custom toolset.
03
Patch and workaround
Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.
- Status
?
Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change. - Patch available
- Action
- Review the linked authoritative reference and apply the recorded fixed release appropriate to the affected product branch.
- Workaround
- No verified workaround is recorded. Limit untrusted access and use least privilege until authoritative guidance is available.
04
Evidence and provenance
Published 18 May 2022 · Last source change 3 Aug 2024, 17:09 UTC · CWE-863 · Incorrect Authorization
CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1
CVSS sourceCNA
EPSS source FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
?
The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2021-27165
Product sourceCNA
Remediation sourceCVE/CNA references
CWE sourceCNA
NVD statusNVD modified after enrichment
Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.
Material change intelligence
View recent updates ↗What changed after publication
No material field changes have been recorded since change tracking began. Routine source refreshes and cosmetic edits are intentionally excluded.
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
- CVE
- Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
- CVSS
- Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
- EPSS
- Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
- CWE
- Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
- CNA
- CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
- CISA ADP
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
- NVD
- National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
- CERT / CSIRT
- A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
- PoC
- Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
- CSAF
- Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
- LoTL
- Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.