CVE-2021-23336 | Web Cache Poisoning

Exp

The package python/cpython from 0 and before 3.6.13, from 3.7.0 and before 3.7.10, from 3.8.0 and before 3.8.8, from 3.9.0 and before 3.9.2 are vulnerable to Web Cache Poisoning via urllib.parse.parse_qsl and urllib.parse.parse_qs by using a vector called parameter cloaking. When the attacker can separate query parameters using a semicolon (;), they can cause a difference in the interpretation of the request between the proxy (running with default configuration) and the server. This can result in malicious requests being cached as completely safe ones, as the proxy would usually not see the semicolon as a separator, and therefore would not include it in a cache key of an unkeyed parameter.

Published: 2021-02-15 Last update: 2025-12-17 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]

Conclusion & alert: CVE-2021-23336 is rated Exploit Available (56.3/100): CVSS Medium severity, with medium exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.28%). Core evidence: 1 public exploit reference(s) are indexed (Exploit-DB). Mandatory action: Public exploits are available—assess exposure, apply mitigations, and prioritize patching.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Public exploit references (Exploit-DB) for CVE-2021-23336

EDB-ID Source Kind Published Link
nvd_ref exploit_tag Exploit-DB ↗

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2021-23336

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2025-12-28 0.38% 0.28% -0.11%
2 2025-12-27 0.31% 0.38% +0.07%
3 2025-11-21 0.31%

Full EPSS history (30 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2021-23336

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
5.9 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H)
Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:R)
A real person has to do something—click, install, enable—otherwise it doesn’t land.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:N)
Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:L)
Attackers could change some data, but it’s limited—not everything goes.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
1.6 4.2 [email protected]
5.9 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H)
Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:R)
A real person has to do something—click, install, enable—otherwise it doesn’t land.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:N)
Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:L)
Attackers could change some data, but it’s limited—not everything goes.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
1.6 4.2 [email protected]
4.0 2.0 MEDIUM
AV:N/AC:H/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P Click to expand
Access vector (AV:N)
Can be exploited remotely over network reachability.
Access complexity (AC:H)
Exploitation requires uncommon or highly specific conditions.
Authentication (AU:N)
No authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:N)
No confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:P)
Partial integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:P)
Partial availability impact.
4.9 4.9 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2021-23336

OS Trackers for CVE-2021-23336

vendor priority summary link
alpine CVE-2021-23336: 2 source package rows (py3-django, python3); 15 state rows across 15 repos (3.12-main, 3.17-community, 3.17-main, 3.18-community, 3.18-main, 3.19-community, 3.19-main, 3.20-community, 3.20-main, 3.21-community, 3.21-main, 3.22-community, 3.22-main, edge-community, edge-main); fixed 15, open 0. https://security.alpinelinux.org/vuln/CVE-2021-23336
debian not yet assigned CVE-2021-23336 not yet assigned priority: Debian including 4 source packages (pypy3, python-django, python2.7, python3.9), 12 status rows across 5 suites (bookworm, bullseye, forky, sid, trixie): resolved 12. https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2021-23336
gentoo normal CVE-2021-23336: 1 GLSA(s) (202104-04), 1 atom(s) (dev-lang/python); latest impact normal. https://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=CVE-2021-23336
redhat medium https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-23336
suse medium CVE-2021-23336 severity moderate: SUSE including 766 source package names (0.1.75:libpython3_6m1_0-3.6.13-3.78.1, 0.1.75:python3-3.6.13-3.78.1, …), 1619 product×package rows across 123 product lines (Container caasp/v4/389-ds, Container caasp/v4/hyperkube, … (123 product lines)): Fixed 1459, Known Affected 135, Known Not Affected 25. https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-23336/
ubuntu low CVE-2021-23336 low priority: Ubuntu including 8 source packages (python-django, python2.7, …), 104 status rows across 13 suites (bionic, focal, groovy, hirsute, impish, jammy, kinetic, lunar, mantic, noble, trusty, upstream, xenial): DNE 63, ignored 17, released 17, not-affected 4, needs-triage 3. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-23336

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2021-23336

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
python python < 3.6.13 cpe:2.3:a:python:python:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
python python >= 3.7.0, < 3.7.10 cpe:2.3:a:python:python:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
python python >= 3.8.0, < 3.8.8 cpe:2.3:a:python:python:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
python python >= 3.9.0, < 3.9.2 cpe:2.3:a:python:python:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fedoraproject fedora 32 cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:32:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fedoraproject fedora 33 cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:33:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fedoraproject fedora 34 cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:34:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
debian debian_linux 9.0 cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
netapp cloud_backup cpe:2.3:a:netapp:cloud_backup:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
netapp inventory_collect_tool cpe:2.3:a:netapp:inventory_collect_tool:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
netapp ontap_select_deploy_administration_utility cpe:2.3:a:netapp:ontap_select_deploy_administration_utility:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
netapp snapcenter cpe:2.3:a:netapp:snapcenter:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
djangoproject django >= 2.2, < 2.2.19 cpe:2.3:a:djangoproject:django:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
djangoproject django >= 3.0, < 3.0.13 cpe:2.3:a:djangoproject:django:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
djangoproject django >= 3.1, < 3.1.7 cpe:2.3:a:djangoproject:django:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_offline_mediation_controller 12.0.0.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_offline_mediation_controller:12.0.0.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_pricing_design_center 12.0.0.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_pricing_design_center:12.0.0.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle enterprise_manager_ops_center 12.4.0.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:enterprise_manager_ops_center:12.4.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle zfs_storage_appliance 8.8 cpe:2.3:o:oracle:zfs_storage_appliance:8.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2021-23336

URL Tags
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/02/19/4 Mailing List Patch Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/05/01/2 Mailing List Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/python/cpython/pull/24297 Patch Third Party Advisory
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/ra8ce70088ba291f358e077cafdb14d174b7a1ce9a9d86d1b332d6367%40%3Cusers.airflow.apache.org%3E
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rc005f4de9d9b0ba943ceb8ff5a21a5c6ff8a9df52632476698d99432%40%3Cannounce.apache.org%3E
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf9fa47ab66495c78bb4120b0754dd9531ca2ff0430f6685ac9b07772%40%3Cdev.mina.apache.org%3E
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/02/msg00030.html Mailing List Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/04/msg00005.html Mailing List Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/04/msg00015.html Mailing List Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/09/msg00022.html
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/3EPYWWFDV22CJ5AOH5VCE72DOASZZ255/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/3YKKDLXL3UEZ3J426C2XTBS63AHE46SM/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/46N6A52EGSXHJYCZWVMBJJIH4NWIV2B5/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/FONHJIOZOFD7CD35KZL6SVBUTMBPGZGA/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/HCQTCSP6SCVIYNIRUJC5X7YBVUHPLSC4/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/HZTM7KLHFCE3LWSEVO2NAFLUHMGYMCRY/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/IHQDU7NXA7EWAE4W7VO6MURVJIULEPPR/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/KJXCMHLY7H3FIYLE4OKDYUILU2CCRUCZ/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/LVNH6Z24IG3E67ZCQGGJ46FZB4XFLQNZ/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/MNUN5SOMFL2BBKP6ZAICIIUPQKZDMGYO/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/MP572OLHMS7MZO4KUPSCIMSZIA5IZZ62/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/N6VXJZSZ6N64AILJX4CTMACYGQGHHD5C/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/NJSCSN722JO2E2AGPWD4NTGVELVRPB4R/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/NODWHDIFBQE5RU5PUWUVE47JOT5VCMJ2/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/OAGSWNGZJ6HQ5ISA67SNMK3CJRKICET7/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/RSLQD5CCM75IZGAMBDGUZEATYU5YSGJ7/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/SGIY6I4YS3WOXAK4SXKIEOC2G4VZKIR7/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/TFTELUMWZE3KV3JB2H5EE6VFRZFRD5MV/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/W2LSKBEFI5SYEY5FM6ICZVZM5WRQUCS4/
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202104-04 Third Party Advisory
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210326-0004/ Third Party Advisory
https://snyk.io/blog/cache-poisoning-in-popular-open-source-packages/ Technical Description Third Party Advisory
https://snyk.io/vuln/SNYK-UPSTREAM-PYTHONCPYTHON-1074933 Exploit Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com//security-alerts/cpujul2021.html Patch Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuApr2021.html Patch Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2022.html Patch Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html Patch Third Party Advisory
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