# CVE-2021-27795: License forgery in Brocade Fabric OS (FOS) hardware platforms running any version of Brocade Fabric OS software,

> Attackers can forge license keys due to cryptographic flaws, bypassing licensing restrictions on Brocade Fabric OS network switches.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H`)
- **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:** 6 Dec 2023
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-phm5-rgh2-qxcf

## What is CVE-2021-27795?

CVE-2021-27795 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Broadcom Fabric Operating System, published on 6 Dec 2023. 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

Brocade Fabric OS (FOS) hardware 
platforms running any version of Brocade Fabric OS software, which 
supports the license string format; contain cryptographic 
issues that could allow for the installation of forged or fraudulent 
license keys. This would allow attackers or a malicious party to forge a
 counterfeit license key that the Brocade Fabric OS platform would 
authenticate and activate as if it were a legitimate license key.

Weakness: CWE-327 (Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-27795?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Broadcom Fabric Operating System.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-27795?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-27795 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-27795 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-27795 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Broadcom Fabric Operating System

- [CVE-2025-1976](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-1976/): Broadcom Brocade Fabric OS Code Injection (high 8.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-22555](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22555/): Linux Kernel Heap Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-33186](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-33186/): Command injection in Brocade Fabric OS (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-27797](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27797/): Hardcoded credentials in Brocade Fabric OS (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-15371](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-15371/): Code injection in Brocade Fabric OS (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-27795 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-27795 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Broadcom Fabric Operating System, published on 6 Dec 2023. 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-2021-27795 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Broadcom Fabric Operating System. 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-2021-27795/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27795/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-27795
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-27795
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-27795

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27795/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.