HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2021-27850
UNKNOWNCISA KEVIN THE WILD

CVE-2021-27850

Published: April 11, 2026

EPSS:94.22%probability of exploitation in 30 daysPercentile:99.9th

Official Description

A critical unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability was found all recent versions of Apache Tapestry. The affected versions include 5.4.5, 5.5.0, 5.6.2 and 5.7.0. The vulnerability I have found is a bypass of the fix for CVE-2019-0195. Recap: Before the fix of CVE-2019-0195 it was possible to download arbitrary class files from the classpath by providing a crafted asset file URL. An attacker was able to download the file `AppModule.class` by requesting the URL `http://localhost:8080/assets/something/services/AppModule.class` which contains a HMAC secret key. The fix for that bug was a blacklist filter that checks if the URL ends with `.class`, `.properties` or `.xml`. Bypass: Unfortunately, the blacklist solution can simply be bypassed by appending a `/` at the end of the URL: `http://localhost:8080/assets/something/services/AppModule.class/` The slash is stripped after the blacklist check and the file `AppModule.class` is loaded into the response. This class usually contains the HMAC secret key which is used to sign serialized Java objects. With the knowledge of that key an attacker can sign a Java gadget chain that leads to RCE (e.g. CommonsBeanUtils1 from ysoserial). Solution for this vulnerability: * For Apache Tapestry 5.4.0 to 5.6.1, upgrade to 5.6.2 or later. * For Apache Tapestry 5.7.0, upgrade to 5.7.1 or later.

NVD Source

Risk Analysis

Apache Tapestry versions 5.4.5, 5.5.0, 5.6.2, and 5.7.0 are affected by a critical unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability, which is a bypass of a previous fix for CVE-2019-0195. This allows attackers to download sensitive class files containing HMAC secret keys. Its inclusion in CISA's KEV catalog confirms active exploitation, making it an urgent threat.

This vulnerability is actively exploited in the wild and is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. It is remotely exploitable by an unauthenticated attacker through a crafted asset file URL.

Recommended Action

Upgrade Apache Tapestry to a patched version that addresses this remote code execution vulnerability bypass. Ensure proper filtering and validation of asset file URLs.

Generated by the CTIWATCH analysis pipeline from this CVE's metadata (CVSS, EPSS, KEV status, exploit intelligence). Verify against vendor advisories before acting.

Technical Analysis

CVE-2021-27850 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

CISA has added CVE-2021-27850 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming active exploitation in the wild. U.S. federal agencies are required to patch this within the mandated timeframe, and all organizations should treat remediation as urgent.

Affected Vendors & Products

Mentioned vendors (from description):
ApacheJava
CPE data not yet available in NVD for this CVE.

Exploit & PoC Resources

ACTIVE EXPLOITATIONConfirmed exploitation in the wild
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Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2021-27850
Severity
CISA KEVYES — Active Exploitation
ExploitIN THE WILD
EPSS (30d)94.22%
PublishedApr 11, 2026

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2021-27850 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
  • !CISA KEV: Federal agencies must patch per BOD 22-01 timeline
  • !Active exploitation confirmed — treat as P1
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.