# CVE-2021-21490: Cross-site scripting in SAP NetWeaver AS for ABAP (Web Survey)

> Reflected XSS in SAP NetWeaver Web Survey allows attackers to steal session data and impersonate users to access sensitive information.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.1 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Jun 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-c8cw-5vg3-hjw3

## What is CVE-2021-21490?

CVE-2021-21490 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Sap Netweaver Application Server Abap, published on 9 Jun 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

SAP NetWeaver AS for ABAP (Web Survey), versions - 700, 702, 710, 711, 730, 731, 750, 750, 752, 75A, 75F, does not sufficiently encode input and output parameters which results in reflected cross site scripting vulnerability, through which a malicious user can access data relating to the current session and use it to impersonate a user and access all information with the same rights as the target user.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-21490?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Sap Netweaver Application Server Abap.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-21490?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-21490 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-21490 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-21490 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Sap Netweaver Application Server Abap

- [CVE-2026-0488](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-0488/): Code Injection vulnerability in SAP CRM and SAP S/4HANA (Scripting Editor) (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2021-40499](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40499/): Code injection in SAP NetWeaver Application Server for ABAP (SAP Cloud Print Manager and SAPSprint) (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-27269](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-27269/): Directory Traversal vulnerability in SAP NetWeaver AS for ABAP and ABAP Platform (critical 9.6)
- [CVE-2023-27500](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-27500/): Directory Traversal vulnerability in SAP NetWeaver AS for ABAP and ABAP Platform (critical 9.6)
- [CVE-2023-0014](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0014/): Capture-replay vulnerability in SAP NetWeaver AS for ABAP and ABAP Platform (critical 9.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-21490 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-21490 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Sap Netweaver Application Server Abap, published on 9 Jun 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-21490 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Sap Netweaver Application Server Abap. 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-2021-21490/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21490/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-21490
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21490
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-21490

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21490/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.