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NVD / CVE Program· CNA mitre

CVE-2021-45100: The ksmbd server through 3.4.2, as used in the Linux kernel through 5.15.8, sometimes communicates in cleartext even though encryption has b

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 30/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.90% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 60% of all records.
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: linux (Debian:12) 5.15.15-1.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to linux (Debian:12) 5.15.15-1 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

The ksmbd server through 3.4.2, as used in the Linux kernel through 5.15.8, sometimes communicates in cleartext even though encryption has been enabled. This occurs because it sets the SMB2_GLOBAL_CAP_ENCRYPTION flag when using the SMB 3.1.1 protocol, which is a violation of the SMB protocol specification. When Windows 10 detects this protocol violation, it disables encryption.

HighCVSS 7.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Dec 16, 2021
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
0.9% · 60th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

30

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
30 / 40 · 7.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.9%

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

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When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel
ksmbd projectksmbd
netapph410c firmware
netapph410c
netapph300s firmware
netapph300s
netapph500s firmware
netapph500s
netapph700s firmware
netapph700s
netapph300e firmware
netapph300e

and 6 more

Check your site's encryption

This vulnerability is about certificate validation or weak cryptography. The free SSL checker tests your certificate, enabled TLS versions and weak ciphers.

Run the SSL check

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • ksmbd project ksmbdup to 3.4.2 inclusive
  • netapp h300e firmwareall versions
  • netapp h300s firmwareall versions
  • netapp h410c firmwareall versions
  • netapp h410s firmwareall versions
  • netapp h500e firmwareall versions
  • netapp h500s firmwareall versions
  • netapp h700e firmwareall versions
  • netapp h700s firmwareall versions

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12linuxbefore 5.15.15-15.15.15-1

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-31431crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-placeKEV
    90Now
  • CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe KEV
    89Now
  • CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV
    85Now

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2021-0920Dec 15, 2021 · In unix_scm_to_skb of af_unix.c, there is a possible use after free bug due to a race condition.KEV
    55Plan
  • ← EarlierCVE-2021-45095Dec 16, 2021 · pep_sock_accept in net/phonet/pep.c in the Linux kernel through 5.15.8 has a refcount leak.
    22Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2021-44733Dec 22, 2021 · A use-after-free exists in drivers/tee/tee_shm.c in the TEE subsystem in the Linux kernel through 5.15.11.
    28Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
debian:linux5.15.15-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
none
Availability
none
Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
None

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-319 · Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information

CVSS vector

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

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (3 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records