# CVE-2021-38445: OCI OpenDDS Secure Improper Handling of Length Parameter Inconsistency

> An attacker can remotely execute arbitrary code due to improper handling of length parameters in the OpenDDS library.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/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:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 5 May 2022
- **Updated:** 16 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3xm3-79jv-66p7

## What is CVE-2021-38445?

CVE-2021-38445 is a high-severity vulnerability in OCI OpenDDS, published on 5 May 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

OCI OpenDDS versions prior to 3.18.1 do not handle a length parameter consistent with the actual length of the associated data, which may allow an attacker to remotely execute arbitrary code.

Weakness: CWE-130 (Improper Handling of Length Parameter Inconsistency)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-38445?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Objectcomputing Opendds.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-38445?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-38445 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-38445 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-38445 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in OCI OpenDDS

- [CVE-2021-38447](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38447/): OCI OpenDDS Secure Amplification (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2025-67111](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-67111/): Integer overflow in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2023-52427](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52427/): Denial of service in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2023-37915](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-37915/): Malformed PID_PROPERTY_LIST parameter in DATA submessage remotely crashes OpenDDS (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2021-38429](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38429/): OCI OpenDDS Secure Network Amplification (medium 6.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-38445 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-38445 is a high-severity vulnerability in OCI OpenDDS, published on 5 May 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-38445 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: OCI OpenDDS. 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-2021-38445/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38445/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-38445
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-38445
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-38445

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38445/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.