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CVE-2021-22696

OAuth 2 authorization service vulnerable to DDos attacks

7.5 HighFix available

CXF supports (via JwtRequestCodeFilter) passing OAuth 2 parameters via a JWT token as opposed to query parameters (see: The OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework: JWT Secured Authorization Request (JAR)). Instead of sending a JWT token as a "request" parameter, the spec also supports specifying a URI from which to retrieve a JWT token from via the "request_uri" parameter. CXF was not validating the "request_uri" parameter (apart from ensuring it uses "https) and was making a REST request to the parameter in the request to retrieve a token. This means that CXF was vulnerable to DDos attacks on the authorization server, as specified in section 10.4.1 of the spec. This issue affects Apache CXF versions prior to 3.4.3; Apache CXF versions prior to 3.3.10.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

6.59%Up 2.3 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

NVD Score used 7.5

CXF supports (via JwtRequestCodeFilter) passing OAuth 2 parameters via a JWT token as opposed to query parameters (see: The OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework: JWT Secured Authorization Request (JAR)). Instead of sending a JWT token as a "request" parameter, the spec also supports specifying a URI from which to retrieve a JWT token from via the "request_uri" parameter. CXF was not validating the "request_uri" parameter (apart from ensuring it uses "https) and was making a REST request to the parameter in the request to retrieve a token. This means that CXF was vulnerable to DDos attacks on the authorization server, as specified in section 10.4.1 of the spec. This issue affects Apache CXF versions prior to 3.4.3; Apache CXF versions prior to 3.3.10.

Record
CVE-2021-22696
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS 2.0
5.0 MediumAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
Weakness
CWE-400, CWE-918
Updated
2026-11-02
CVE List No score

OAuth 2 authorization service vulnerable to DDos attacks

CXF supports (via JwtRequestCodeFilter) passing OAuth 2 parameters via a JWT token as opposed to query parameters (see: The OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework: JWT Secured Authorization Request (JAR)). Instead of sending a JWT token as a "request" parameter, the spec also supports specifying a URI from which to retrieve a JWT token from via the "request_uri" parameter. CXF was not validating the "request_uri" parameter (apart from ensuring it uses "https) and was making a REST request to the parameter in the request to retrieve a token. This means that CXF was vulnerable to DDos attacks on the authorization server, as specified in section 10.4.1 of the spec. This issue affects Apache CXF versions prior to 3.4.3; Apache CXF versions prior to 3.3.10.

Record
CVE-2021-22696
Weakness
CWE-918, CWE-400
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-1003 0.0

CXF supports (via JwtRequestCodeFilter) passing OAuth 2 parameters via a JWT token as opposed to query parameters (see: The OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework: JWT Secured Authorization Request (JAR)). Instead of sending a JWT token as a "request" parameter, the spec also supports specifying a URI from which to retrieve a JWT token from via the "request_uri" parameter. CXF was not validating the "request_uri" parameter (apart from ensuring it uses "https) and was making a REST request to the parameter in the request to retrieve a token. This means that CXF was vulnerable to DDos attacks on the authorization server, as specified in section 10.4.1 of the spec. This issue affects Apache CXF versions prior to 3.4.3; Apache CXF versions prior to 3.3.10.

Record
EUVD-2021-1003
CVSS
0.0 NoneCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-7q4h-pj78-j7vg 7.5

Authorization service vulnerable to DDos attacks in Apache CFX

CXF supports (via JwtRequestCodeFilter) passing OAuth 2 parameters via a JWT token as opposed to query parameters (see: The OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework: JWT Secured Authorization Request (JAR)). Instead of sending a JWT token as a "request" parameter, the spec also supports specifying a URI from which to retrieve a JWT token from via the "request_uri" parameter. CXF was not validating the "request_uri" parameter (apart from ensuring it uses "https) and was making a REST request to the parameter in the request to retrieve a token. This means that CXF was vulnerable to DDos attacks on the authorization server, as specified in section 10.4.1 of the spec. This issue affects Apache CXF versions prior to 3.4.3; Apache CXF versions prior to 3.3.10.

Record
GHSA-7q4h-pj78-j7vg
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness
CWE-400, CWE-918
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 7.5

CXF supports (via JwtRequestCodeFilter) passing OAuth 2 parameters via a JWT token as opposed to query parameters (see: The OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework: JWT Secured Authorization Request (JAR)). Instead of sending a JWT token as a "request" parameter, the spec also supports specifying a URI from which to retrieve a JWT token from via the "request_uri" parameter. CXF was not validating the "request_uri" parameter (apart from ensuring it uses "https) and was making a REST request to the parameter in the request to retrieve a token. This means that CXF was vulnerable to DDos attacks on the authorization server, as specified in section 10.4.1 of the spec. This issue affects Apache CXF versions prior to 3.4.3; Apache CXF versions prior to 3.3.10.

Record
CVE-2021-22696
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-7q4h-pj78-j7vg 7.5

Authorization service vulnerable to DDos attacks in Apache CFX

CXF supports (via JwtRequestCodeFilter) passing OAuth 2 parameters via a JWT token as opposed to query parameters (see: The OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework: JWT Secured Authorization Request (JAR)). Instead of sending a JWT token as a "request" parameter, the spec also supports specifying a URI from which to retrieve a JWT token from via the "request_uri" parameter. CXF was not validating the "request_uri" parameter (apart from ensuring it uses "https) and was making a REST request to the parameter in the request to retrieve a token. This means that CXF was vulnerable to DDos attacks on the authorization server, as specified in section 10.4.1 of the spec. This issue affects Apache CXF versions prior to 3.4.3; Apache CXF versions prior to 3.3.10.

Record
GHSA-7q4h-pj78-j7vg
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness
CWE-400, CWE-918
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
org.apache.cxf:cxf
Maven
3.4.0 up to 3.4.3
3.4.3
org.apache.cxf:cxf
Maven
before 3.3.10
3.3.10
org.apache.cxf:apache-cxf
Maven
3.4.0 up to 3.4.3
3.4.3
org.apache.cxf:apache-cxf
Maven
before 3.3.10
3.3.10
org.apache.cxf:cxf
Maven
3.4.0 up to 3.4.3, plus listed versions
3.4.13.4.2
3.4.3
org.apache.cxf:cxf
Maven
before 3.3.10, plus listed versions
2.0.102.0.112.0.122.0.132.0.6
Show 45 moreShow less
2.0.72.0.82.0.92.12.1.12.1.102.1.22.1.32.1.42.1.52.1.62.1.72.1.82.1.92.22.2.12.2.102.2.112.2.122.2.22.2.32.2.42.2.52.2.62.2.72.2.82.2.92.3.02.3.12.3.102.3.112.3.22.3.32.3.42.3.52.3.62.3.72.3.82.3.92.4.02.4.12.4.102.4.22.4.32.4.4
3.3.10
org.apache.cxf:apache-cxf
Maven
3.4.0 up to 3.4.3, plus listed versions
3.4.13.4.2
3.4.3
org.apache.cxf:apache-cxf
Maven
before 3.3.10, plus listed versions
2.0.102.0.112.0.122.0.132.0.6
Show 45 moreShow less
2.0.72.0.82.0.92.12.1.12.1.102.1.22.1.32.1.42.1.52.1.62.1.72.1.82.1.92.22.2.12.2.102.2.112.2.122.2.22.2.32.2.42.2.52.2.62.2.72.2.82.2.92.3.02.3.12.3.102.3.112.3.22.3.32.3.42.3.52.3.62.3.72.3.82.3.92.4.02.4.12.4.102.4.22.4.32.4.4
3.3.10

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2021-22696 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.5) in Apache Cxf, published April 2, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 6.59%, the 93rd percentile. Fixed in org.apache.cxf:cxf 3.4.3.

References

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