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Vulnerability record · CVE-2021-22696 · published 2 April 2021

CVE-2021-22696: Apache cxf uncontrolled resource consumption vulnerability

Apache · Cxf

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.

7.5 CVSS 3.1 High EPSS 6.6% · top 6.4% CWE-400 · Uncontrolled resource consumptionCWE-918 · Server-side request forgery (SSRF)
7.5CVSS 3.1 base score, v2 5.0
6.6%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
6Affected product versions listed by NVD
18References
17 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

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.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Affected products

6 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/04/02/2 Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
https://cxf.apache.org/security-advisories.data/CVE-2021-22696.txt.asc Vendor Advisory
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r6445001cc5f9a2bb1e6316993753306e054bdd1d702656b7cbe59045%40%3Cannounce.apache.org%
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r8651c06212c56294a1c0ea61a5ad7790c06502209c03f05c0c7c9914%40%3Cdev.cxf.apache.org%3
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r8651c06212c56294a1c0ea61a5ad7790c06502209c03f05c0c7c9914%40%3Cusers.cxf.apache.org
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rec7160382badd3ef4ad017a22f64a266c7188b9ba71394f0d321e2d4%40%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.o
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rfb87e0bf3995e7d560afeed750fac9329ff5f1ad49da365129b7f89e%40%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.o
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2022.html PatchThird Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html PatchThird Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/04/02/2 Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
https://cxf.apache.org/security-advisories.data/CVE-2021-22696.txt.asc Vendor Advisory
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r6445001cc5f9a2bb1e6316993753306e054bdd1d702656b7cbe59045%40%3Cannounce.apache.org%
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r8651c06212c56294a1c0ea61a5ad7790c06502209c03f05c0c7c9914%40%3Cdev.cxf.apache.org%3
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r8651c06212c56294a1c0ea61a5ad7790c06502209c03f05c0c7c9914%40%3Cusers.cxf.apache.org
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rec7160382badd3ef4ad017a22f64a266c7188b9ba71394f0d321e2d4%40%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.o
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rfb87e0bf3995e7d560afeed750fac9329ff5f1ad49da365129b7f89e%40%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.o
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2022.html PatchThird Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html PatchThird Party Advisory

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2021-22696), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-27). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.