CVE-2021-22696
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.
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
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 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 5.0 Medium
AV: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 None
CVSS: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 High
CVSS: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 High
CVSS: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 High
CVSS: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
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
org.apache.cxf:cxfMaven |
3.4.0 up to 3.4.3 | 3.4.3 |
org.apache.cxf:cxfMaven |
before 3.3.10 | 3.3.10 |
org.apache.cxf:apache-cxfMaven |
3.4.0 up to 3.4.3 | 3.4.3 |
org.apache.cxf:apache-cxfMaven |
before 3.3.10 | 3.3.10 |
org.apache.cxf:cxfMaven |
3.4.0 up to 3.4.3, plus listed versions 3.4.13.4.2 |
3.4.3 |
org.apache.cxf:cxfMaven |
before 3.3.10, plus listed versions 2.0.102.0.112.0.122.0.132.0.6 Show 45 moreShow less2.0.72.0.82.0.92.12.1.12.1.102.1.22.1.32.1.42.1.52.1.62.1.72.1.82.1.92.22.2.12.2.102.2.112.2.122.2.22.2.32.2.42.2.52.2.62.2.72.2.82.2.92.3.02.3.12.3.102.3.112.3.22.3.32.3.42.3.52.3.62.3.72.3.82.3.92.4.02.4.12.4.102.4.22.4.32.4.4 |
3.3.10 |
org.apache.cxf:apache-cxfMaven |
3.4.0 up to 3.4.3, plus listed versions 3.4.13.4.2 |
3.4.3 |
org.apache.cxf:apache-cxfMaven |
before 3.3.10, plus listed versions 2.0.102.0.112.0.122.0.132.0.6 Show 45 moreShow less2.0.72.0.82.0.92.12.1.12.1.102.1.22.1.32.1.42.1.52.1.62.1.72.1.82.1.92.22.2.12.2.102.2.112.2.122.2.22.2.32.2.42.2.52.2.62.2.72.2.82.2.92.3.02.3.12.3.102.3.112.3.22.3.32.3.42.3.52.3.62.3.72.3.82.3.92.4.02.4.12.4.102.4.22.4.32.4.4 |
3.3.10 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE 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
cxf.apache.org/security-advisories.data/CVE-2021-22696.txt.asc
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r8651c06212c56294a1c0ea61a5ad7790c06502209c03f05c0c7c9914%40%3Cdev.cxf.apache.org%3E
openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/04/02/2
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r8651c06212c56294a1c0ea61a5ad7790c06502209c03f05c0c7c9914%40%3Cusers.cxf.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rec7160382badd3ef4ad017a22f64a266c7188b9ba71394f0d321e2d4%40%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r6445001cc5f9a2bb1e6316993753306e054bdd1d702656b7cbe59045%40%3Cannounce.apache.org%3E
Show 13 moreShow less
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rfb87e0bf3995e7d560afeed750fac9329ff5f1ad49da365129b7f89e%40%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E
oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html
oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2022.html
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22696
github.com/apache/cxf/commit/40503a53914758759894f704bbf139ae89ace286
github.com/apache/cxf/commit/aa789c5c4686597a7bdef2443909ab491fc2bc04
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r6445001cc5f9a2bb1e6316993753306e054bdd1d702656b7cbe59045@%3Cannounce.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r8651c06212c56294a1c0ea61a5ad7790c06502209c03f05c0c7c9914@%3Cdev.cxf.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r8651c06212c56294a1c0ea61a5ad7790c06502209c03f05c0c7c9914@%3Cusers.cxf.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rec7160382badd3ef4ad017a22f64a266c7188b9ba71394f0d321e2d4@%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rfb87e0bf3995e7d560afeed750fac9329ff5f1ad49da365129b7f89e@%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E
github.com/advisories/GHSA-7q4h-pj78-j7vg
github.com/apache/cxf
Left out here: 234 versions. The JSON record has them.