Summary
Elasticsearch versions before 7.11.2 and 6.8.15 contain a document disclosure flaw was found in the Elasticsearch suggester and profile API when Document and Field Level Security are enabled. The suggester and profile API are normally disabled for an index when document level security is enabled on the index. Certain queries are able to enable the profiler and suggester which could lead to disclosing the existence of documents and fields the attacker should not be able to view.
Impact
CVE-2021-22135 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (7.11.2, 6.8.15); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
Remediation advice
org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch to 7.11.2 or later; org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch to 6.8.15 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2021-22135? CVE-2021-22135 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch (maven), affecting versions >= 7.0.0, < 7.11.2. It is fixed in 7.11.2, 6.8.15.
- How severe is CVE-2021-22135? CVE-2021-22135 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch are affected by CVE-2021-22135? org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch (maven) versions >= 7.0.0, < 7.11.2 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2021-22135? Yes. CVE-2021-22135 is fixed in 7.11.2, 6.8.15. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2021-22135 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2021-22135 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2021-22135 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2021-22135?
- Upgrade
org.elasticsearch:elasticsearchto 7.11.2 or later - Upgrade
org.elasticsearch:elasticsearchto 6.8.15 or later
- Upgrade