CVE-2021-36373 | Apache Ant TAR archive denial of service vulnerability

When reading a specially crafted TAR archive an Apache Ant build can be made to allocate large amounts of memory that finally leads to an out of memory error, even for small inputs. This can be used to disrupt builds using Apache Ant. Apache Ant prior to 1.9.16 and 1.10.11 were affected.

Published: 2021-07-14 Last update: 2024-11-21 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]

Conclusion & alert: CVE-2021-36373 is rated Low Risk (32/100): CVSS Medium severity, with low exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.11%). Mandatory action: Monitor for updates and reassess as exploit intelligence or EPSS changes.

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

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2021-36373

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 2025-11-21 0.83% 0.11% -0.72%
2 2025-11-18 0.15% 0.83% +0.69%
3 2025-03-30 0.15%

Full EPSS history (17 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2021-36373

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
5.5 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:L)
They already need access on the box, or another person has to do something wrong; it’s not a remote drive-by.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
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:N)
Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
1.8 3.6 [email protected]
4.3 2.0 MEDIUM
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P Click to expand
Access vector (AV:N)
Can be exploited remotely over network reachability.
Access complexity (AC:M)
Exploitation needs some favorable conditions, but not exceptional ones.
Authentication (AU:N)
No authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:N)
No confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:N)
No integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:P)
Partial availability impact.
8.6 2.9 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2021-36373

GitHub Security Advisory for CVE-2021-36373

GHSA-q5r4-cfpx-h6fh · Severity: medium · Ecosystem: maven — Improper Handling of Length Parameter Inconsistency in Apache Ant

OS Trackers for CVE-2021-36373

vendor priority summary link
alpine medium CVE-2021-36373: 1 source package rows (apache-ant); 7 state rows across 7 repos (3.17-community, 3.18-community, 3.19-community, 3.20-community, 3.21-community, 3.22-community, edge-community); fixed 7, open 0. https://security.alpinelinux.org/vuln/CVE-2021-36373
debian unimportant CVE-2021-36373 unimportant priority: Debian including 1 source packages (ant), 5 status rows across 5 suites (bookworm, bullseye, forky, sid, trixie): resolved 4, open 1. https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2021-36373
redhat low https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-36373
suse medium https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-36373/
ubuntu low CVE-2021-36373 low priority: Ubuntu including 1 source packages (ant), 16 status rows across 16 suites (bionic, focal, groovy, hirsute, impish, jammy, kinetic, lunar, mantic, noble, oracular, plucky, questing, trusty, upstream, xenial): ignored 8, needs-triage 8. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-36373

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2021-36373

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
apache ant >= 1.9.0, < 1.9.16 cpe:2.3:a:apache:ant:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache ant >= 1.10.0, < 1.10.11 cpe:2.3:a:apache:ant:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle agile_plm 9.3.6 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:agile_plm:9.3.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle banking_trade_finance 14.5 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_trade_finance:14.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle banking_treasury_management 14.5 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:banking_treasury_management:14.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_cloud_native_core_automated_test_suite 1.9.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_cloud_native_core_automated_test_suite:1.9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_cloud_native_core_binding_support_function 1.11.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_cloud_native_core_binding_support_function:1.11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_order_and_service_management 7.3 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_order_and_service_management:7.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_order_and_service_management 7.4 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_order_and_service_management:7.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_unified_inventory_management 7.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_unified_inventory_management:7.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_unified_inventory_management 7.4.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_unified_inventory_management:7.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_unified_inventory_management 7.4.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_unified_inventory_management:7.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_unified_inventory_management 7.4.2 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_unified_inventory_management:7.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_unified_inventory_management 7.5.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_unified_inventory_management:7.5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle enterprise_repository 11.1.1.7.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:enterprise_repository:11.1.1.7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle financial_services_analytical_applications_infrastructure >= 8.0.6, <= 8.1.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:financial_services_analytical_applications_infrastructure:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle insurance_policy_administration >= 11.0, <= 11.3.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:insurance_policy_administration:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle primavera_gateway >= 17.12.0, <= 17.12.11 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:primavera_gateway:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle primavera_gateway >= 18.8.0, <= 18.8.12 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:primavera_gateway:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle primavera_gateway >= 19.12.0, <= 19.12.11 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:primavera_gateway:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle primavera_gateway >= 20.12.0, <= 20.12.7 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:primavera_gateway:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle primavera_unifier >= 17.7, <= 17.12 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:primavera_unifier:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle primavera_unifier 18.8 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:primavera_unifier:18.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle primavera_unifier 19.12 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:primavera_unifier:19.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle primavera_unifier 20.12 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:primavera_unifier:20.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle real-time_decision_server 3.2.0.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:real-time_decision_server:3.2.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle real-time_decision_server 11.1.1.9.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:real-time_decision_server:11.1.1.9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_advanced_inventory_planning 14.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_advanced_inventory_planning:14.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_advanced_inventory_planning 15.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_advanced_inventory_planning:15.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_advanced_inventory_planning 16.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_advanced_inventory_planning:16.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_back_office 14.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_back_office:14.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_back_office 14.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_back_office:14.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_bulk_data_integration 16.0.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_bulk_data_integration:16.0.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_bulk_data_integration 19.0.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_bulk_data_integration:19.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_central_office 14.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_central_office:14.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_central_office 14.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_central_office:14.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_eftlink 19.0.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_eftlink:19.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_eftlink 20.0.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_eftlink:20.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_extract_transform_and_load 13.2.8 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_extract_transform_and_load:13.2.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_financial_integration 14.1.3.2 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_financial_integration:14.1.3.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_financial_integration 15.0.4.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_financial_integration:15.0.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_financial_integration 16.0.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_financial_integration:16.0.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_integration_bus 14.1.3.2 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_integration_bus:14.1.3.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_integration_bus 15.0.4.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_integration_bus:15.0.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_integration_bus 16.0.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_integration_bus:16.0.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_integration_bus 19.0.1.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_integration_bus:19.0.1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_invoice_matching 16.0.3 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_invoice_matching:16.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_merchandising_system 19.0.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_merchandising_system:19.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_point-of-service 14.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_point-of-service:14.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_point-of-service 14.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_point-of-service:14.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_predictive_application_server 14.1.3 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_predictive_application_server:14.1.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_predictive_application_server 15.0.3 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_predictive_application_server:15.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_predictive_application_server 16.0.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_predictive_application_server:16.0.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_service_backbone 14.1.3.2 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_service_backbone:14.1.3.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_service_backbone 15.0.4.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_service_backbone:15.0.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_service_backbone 16.0.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_service_backbone:16.0.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_service_backbone 19.0.1.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_service_backbone:19.0.1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_store_inventory_management 14.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_store_inventory_management:14.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_store_inventory_management 15.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_store_inventory_management:15.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_store_inventory_management 16.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_store_inventory_management:16.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_xstore_point_of_service 16.0.6 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_xstore_point_of_service:16.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_xstore_point_of_service 17.0.4 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_xstore_point_of_service:17.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_xstore_point_of_service 18.0.3 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_xstore_point_of_service:18.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_xstore_point_of_service 19.0.2 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_xstore_point_of_service:19.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle retail_xstore_point_of_service 20.0.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:retail_xstore_point_of_service:20.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle timesten_in-memory_database < 11.2.2.8.27 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:timesten_in-memory_database:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle utilities_framework >= 4.3.0.1.0, <= 4.3.0.6.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:utilities_framework:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle utilities_framework 4.2.0.2.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:utilities_framework:4.2.0.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle utilities_framework 4.2.0.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:utilities_framework:4.2.0.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle utilities_framework 4.4.0.0.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:utilities_framework:4.4.0.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle utilities_framework 4.4.0.2.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:utilities_framework:4.4.0.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle utilities_framework 4.4.0.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:utilities_framework:4.4.0.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle utilities_testing_accelerator 6.0.0.1.1 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:utilities_testing_accelerator:6.0.0.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2021-36373

URL Tags
https://ant.apache.org/security.html Patch Vendor Advisory
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r27919fd4db07c487239c1d9771f480d89ce5ee2750aa9447309b709a%40%3Ccommits.groovy.apache.org%3E
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r544c9e8487431768465b8b2d13982c75123109bd816acf839d46010d%40%3Ccommits.groovy.apache.org%3E
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r54afdab05e01de970649c2d91a993f68a6b00cd73e6e34e16c832d46%40%3Cuser.ant.apache.org%3E Mailing List Vendor Advisory
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rad36f470647c5a7c02dd78c9973356d2840766d132b597b6444e373a%40%3Cnotifications.groovy.apache.org%3E
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4bb79751a02889623195715925e4fd8932dd3c97e0ade91395a96c6%40%3Cdev.myfaces.apache.org%3E
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210819-0007/ Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2022.html Patch Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2022.html Patch Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujul2022.html Not Applicable
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html Patch Third Party Advisory
cvelogic Threat Intelligence