# CVE-2021-38891: Weak cryptography in Connect:Direct Web Services

> Weak cryptographic algorithms in IBM Sterling Connect:Direct Web Services allow attackers to decrypt highly sensitive information.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.9 (`CVSS:3.0/PR:N/S:U/AC:H/UI:N/AV:N/A:N/C:H/I:N/RL:O/E:U/RC:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Nov 2021
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h8c3-q762-53jh

## What is CVE-2021-38891?

CVE-2021-38891 is a medium-severity vulnerability in IBM Connect:Direct Web Services, published on 23 Nov 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM Sterling Connect:Direct Web Services 1.0 and 6.0 uses weaker than expected cryptographic algorithms that could allow an attacker to decrypt highly sensitive information. IBM X-Force ID: 209508.

Weakness: CWE-326 (Inadequate Encryption Strength)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-38891?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ibm Sterling Connect\.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-38891?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-38891 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-38891 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-38891 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in IBM Connect:Direct Web Services

- [CVE-2023-32331](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-32331/): IBM Connect:Express for UNIX denial of service (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2020-4767](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4767/): Memory corruption in Sterling Connect Direct for Microsoft Windows (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2025-36137](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-36137/): IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for UNIX command execution (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2018-1903](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1903/): Privilege escalation in Sterling Connect:Direct for UNIX (medium 6.7)
- [CVE-2023-29260](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-29260/): IBM Sterling Connect:Express for UNIX server-side request forgery (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-38891 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-38891 is a medium-severity vulnerability in IBM Connect:Direct Web Services, published on 23 Nov 2021. 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-2021-38891 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: IBM Connect:Direct Web Services. 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-2021-38891/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38891/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-38891
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-38891
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-38891

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38891/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.