# CVE-2021-20511: Path traversal in Security Verify Access Docker

> Remote attackers can traverse directories to view arbitrary files on IBM Security Verify Access Docker systems.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.2 (`CVSS:3.0/AC:L/A:N/AV:A/PR:H/UI:N/C:H/S:U/I:L/RC:C/E:U/RL:O`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Jul 2021
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-c75f-q5vx-g76h

## What is CVE-2021-20511?

CVE-2021-20511 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Ibm Security Verify Access, published on 15 Jul 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM Security Verify Access Docker 10.0.0 could allow a remote attacker to traverse directories on the system. An attacker could send a specially-crafted URL request containing "dot dot" sequences (/../) to view arbitrary files on the system. IBM X-Force ID: 198300.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-20511?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ibm Security Verify Access.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-20511?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-20511 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-20511 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-20511 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Ibm Security Verify Access

- [CVE-2026-78401](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-78401/): Security vulnerabilities have been found in IBM Verify Identity Access and IBM Security Verify Access (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-78406](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-78406/): Security vulnerabilities have been found in IBM Verify Identity Access and IBM Security Verify Access (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-49803](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-49803/): IBM Security Verify Access Appliance command execution (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-39070](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-39070/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-49805](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-49805/): IBM Security Verify Access Appliance hard coded credentials (critical 9.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-20511 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-20511 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Ibm Security Verify Access, published on 15 Jul 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-20511 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Ibm Security Verify Access. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20511/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20511/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-20511
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-20511
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-20511

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20511/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.