# CVE-2021-20552: Information disclosure in Sterling File Gateway

> Remote attackers can obtain sensitive system information via detailed error messages, aiding further attacks.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/I:N/PR:L/AC:L/C:L/S:U/UI:N/A:N/RC:C/E:U/RL:O`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 7 Oct 2021
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mfpx-pjq9-2jq3

## What is CVE-2021-20552?

CVE-2021-20552 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Ibm Sterling File Gateway, published on 7 Oct 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM Sterling File Gateway 6.0.0.0 through 6.1.1.0 could allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information when a detailed technical error message is returned in the browser. This information could be used in further attacks against the system. IBM X-Force ID: 199170.

Weakness: CWE-209 (Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-20552?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ibm Sterling File Gateway.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-20552?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-20552 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-20552 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-20552 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Ibm Sterling File Gateway

- [CVE-2020-4259](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4259/): Missing authorization in Sterling File Gateway (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2017-1550](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-1550/): Missing authorization in Sterling File Gateway (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2017-1487](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-1487/): Information disclosure in Sterling File Gateway (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2023-52292](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52292/): IBM Sterling File Gateway cross-site scripting (medium 6.4)
- [CVE-2021-20473](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20473/): Auth bypass in Sterling File Gateway (medium 6.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-20552 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-20552 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Ibm Sterling File Gateway, published on 7 Oct 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-20552 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Ibm Sterling File Gateway. 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-2021-20552/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20552/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-20552
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-20552
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-20552

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20552/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.