CVE-2021-22145
MediumPublic exploitGeneration of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information in Elasticsearch
Published May 24, 2022 · Updated Sep 8, 2026 · Also known as BIT-elasticsearch-2021-22145, GHSA-q394-h7f5-7f44, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-22145
Key Facts
Patch immediately- CVE-2021-22145 is a medium-severity vulnerability (CVSS 6.5 v3.1) affecting Elasticsearch, Communications Cloud Native Core Automated Test Suite (Oracle), org.elasticsearch.client:elasticsearch-rest-client (maven).
- It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog. Public exploit code is available.
- EPSS estimates a 76% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- Fixed versions are available, including Elasticsearch <=7.13.3, Elasticsearch 7.13.4, org.elasticsearch.client:elasticsearch-rest-client 7.13.4.
- Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is very likely to be exploited soon.
CVSS v3.1
6.5
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)
76%
Higher than 99.5% of all scored CVEs
Exploited in the wild
No known
Not in a known-exploited catalog
Public exploit code
Available
Proof-of-concept or weaponized module
Get the full CVE-2021-22145 brief as a PDF
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Description
A memory disclosure vulnerability was identified in Elasticsearch 7.10.0 to 7.13.3 error reporting. A user with the ability to submit arbitrary queries to Elasticsearch could submit a malformed query that would result in an error message returned containing previously used portions of a data buffer. This buffer could contain sensitive information such as Elasticsearch documents or authentication details.
Affected Products
6 affected entries in total| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| ElasticsearchElastic | >= 7.10.0 | 7.13.3 |
| Communications Cloud Native Core Automated Test SuiteOracle | 1.8.0 | n/a |
| org.elasticsearch.client:elasticsearch-rest-clientmaven | >= 7.10.0 | 7.13.4 |
Patched Releases
Elasticsearch
<=7.13.3, 7.13.4
org.elasticsearch.client:elasticsearch-rest-client
7.13.4
Timeline
Publicly disclosed
May 24, 2022
Last updated
Sep 8, 2026
Weakness Type
- CWE-125 Out-of-bounds Read
- CWE-200 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor
- CWE-209 Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information
References
- advisoryhttps://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-7-13-4-security-update/279177
- advisoryGHSA advisory
- advisoryhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22145
- advisoryhttps://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210827-0006/
- advisoryhttps://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-22145
FAQ
Common Questions.
A memory disclosure vulnerability was identified in Elasticsearch 7.10.0 to 7.13.3 error reporting.
Affected: Elasticsearch versions >= 7.10.0; Communications Cloud Native Core Automated Test Suite (Oracle) versions 1.8.0; org.elasticsearch.client:elasticsearch-rest-client (maven) versions >= 7.10.0. The full list is in the CVE brief.
It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog.
No, it is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Public exploit code is available.
Fixed versions are available, including Elasticsearch <=7.13.3, Elasticsearch 7.13.4, org.elasticsearch.client:elasticsearch-rest-client 7.13.4.
Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is very likely to be exploited soon.
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