Summary
Improper Input Validation in Apache Pulsar
In Apache Pulsar it is possible to access data from BookKeeper that does not belong to the topics accessible by the authenticated user. The Admin API get-message-by-id requires the user to input a topic and a ledger id. The ledger id is a pointer to the data, and it is supposed to be a valid it for the topic. Authorisation controls are performed against the topic name and there is not proper validation the that ledger id is valid in the context of such ledger. So it may happen that the user is able to read from a ledger that contains data owned by another tenant. This issue affects Apache Pulsar Apache Pulsar version 2.8.0 and prior versions; Apache Pulsar version 2.7.3 and prior versions; Apache Pulsar version 2.6.4 and prior versions.
Impact
The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths. Typical impact: varies by context: data corruption, logic bypass, or denial of service.
CVE-2021-41571 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, low 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 (2.7.4, 2.8.1); 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.
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org.apache.pulsar:pulsar to 2.7.4 or later; org.apache.pulsar:pulsar to 2.8.1 or later
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2021-41571? CVE-2021-41571 is a medium-severity improper input validation vulnerability in org.apache.pulsar:pulsar (maven), affecting versions <= 2.6.4. It is fixed in 2.7.4, 2.8.1. The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths.
- How severe is CVE-2021-41571? CVE-2021-41571 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (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.apache.pulsar:pulsar are affected by CVE-2021-41571? org.apache.pulsar:pulsar (maven) versions <= 2.6.4 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2021-41571? Yes. CVE-2021-41571 is fixed in 2.7.4, 2.8.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2021-41571 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2021-41571 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-2021-41571 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-2021-41571?
- Upgrade
org.apache.pulsar:pulsarto 2.7.4 or later - Upgrade
org.apache.pulsar:pulsarto 2.8.1 or later
- Upgrade