# CVE-2021-39128: Code injection in Jira Data Center

> Remote attackers with Jira Administrator access can execute arbitrary Java code via server-side template injection in the Email Template feature.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 16 Sep 2021
- **Updated:** 10 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-gxr7-rwpm-wrqm

## What is CVE-2021-39128?

CVE-2021-39128 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Atlassian Jira Data Center, published on 16 Sep 2021. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Affected versions of Atlassian Jira Server or Data Center using the Jira Service Management addon allow remote attackers with JIRA Administrators access to execute arbitrary Java code via a server-side template injection vulnerability in the Email Template feature. The affected versions of Jira Server or Data Center are before version 8.13.12, and from version 8.14.0 before 8.19.1.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code), CWE-1336 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements Used in a Template Engine)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-39128?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Atlassian Jira Data Center, Atlassian Jira Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-39128?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-39128 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-39128 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-39128 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Atlassian Jira Data Center

- [CVE-2021-26086](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-26086/): Atlassian Jira Server and Data Center Path Traversal (medium 5.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0540](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0540/): Auth bypass in Jira Core Server (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-36239](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36239/): Deserialization in Jira Core Data Center (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-22167](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-22167/): Path traversal in Jira Software Data Center (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2019-20419](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-20419/): Other in Jira Server (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-39128 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-39128 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Atlassian Jira Data Center, published on 16 Sep 2021. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-39128 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Atlassian Jira Data Center. 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-2021-39128/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-39128/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-39128
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-39128
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-39128

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-39128/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.