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Status published
Unknown
CVE-2021-44228
Apache Log4j2 JNDI features do not protect against attacker controlled LDAP and other JNDI related endpoints
Vulnerability Description
Apache Log4j2 2.0-beta9 through 2.15.0 (excluding security releases 2.12.2, 2.12.3, and 2.3.1) JNDI features used in configuration, log messages, and parameters do not protect against attacker controlled LDAP and other JNDI related endpoints. An attacker who can control log messages or log message parameters can execute arbitrary code loaded from LDAP servers when message lookup substitution is enabled. From log4j 2.15.0, this behavior has been disabled by default. From version 2.16.0 (along with 2.12.2, 2.12.3, and 2.3.1), this functionality has been completely removed. Note that this vulnerability is specific to log4j-core and does not affect log4net, log4cxx, or other Apache Logging Services projects.
Impact Analysis
Refer to official advisory for detailed impact metrics.
Remediation
Ensure systems are updated to the latest vendor-supplied patch levels.
THREAT MONITOR
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Credits & Attribution
The following person or organization is credited with identifying this vulnerability, as recorded in the NVD database:
- This issue was discovered by Chen Zhaojun of Alibaba Cloud Security Team.
References
- https://logging.apache.org/log4j/2.x/security.html
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/12/10/1
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/12/10/2
- https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-apache-log4j-qRuKNEbd
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/12/10/3
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211210-0007/
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/165225/Apache-Log4j2-2.14.1-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- https://psirt.global.sonicwall.com/vuln-detail/SNWLID-2021-0032
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/alert-cve-2021-44228.html
- https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-5020
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/12/msg00007.html
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/VU57UJDCFIASIO35GC55JMKSRXJMCDFM/
- https://msrc-blog.microsoft.com/2021/12/11/microsofts-response-to-cve-2021-44228-apache-log4j2/
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/12/13/2
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/12/13/1
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/12/14/4
- https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-apache-log4j-qRuKNEbd
- https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/930724
- https://twitter.com/kurtseifried/status/1469345530182455296
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-661247.pdf
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/165260/VMware-Security-Advisory-2021-0028.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/165270/Apache-Log4j2-2.14.1-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/165261/Apache-Log4j2-2.14.1-Information-Disclosure.html
- https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00646.html
- https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-apache-log4j-qRuKNEbd
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/12/15/3
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/165282/Log4j-Payload-Generator.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/165281/Log4j2-Log4Shell-Regexes.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/165307/Log4j-Remote-Code-Execution-Word-Bypassing.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/165311/log4j-scan-Extensive-Scanner.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/165306/L4sh-Log4j-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-714170.pdf
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/M5CSVUNV4HWZZXGOKNSK6L7RPM7BOKIB/
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/165371/VMware-Security-Advisory-2021-0028.4.html
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-397453.pdf
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-479842.pdf
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2022.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/165532/Log4Shell-HTTP-Header-Injection.html
- https://github.com/cisagov/log4j-affected-db/blob/develop/SOFTWARE-LIST.md
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/165642/VMware-vCenter-Server-Unauthenticated-Log4Shell-JNDI-Injection-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/165673/UniFi-Network-Application-Unauthenticated-Log4Shell-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Mar/23
- https://www.bentley.com/en/common-vulnerability-exposure/be-2022-0001
- https://github.com/cisagov/log4j-affected-db
- https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213189
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2022.html
- https://github.com/nu11secur1ty/CVE-mitre/tree/main/CVE-2021-44228
- https://www.nu11secur1ty.com/2021/12/cve-2021-44228.html
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Jul/11
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/167794/Open-Xchange-App-Suite-7.10.x-Cross-Site-Scripting-Command-Injection.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/167917/MobileIron-Log4Shell-Remote-Command-Execution.html
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/2
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/171626/AD-Manager-Plus-7122-Remote-Code-Execution.html
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Affected Vendor
Apache Software Foundation
View all reports →Affected Software
Apache Log4j2
Vulnerable Versions:
2.0-beta9
Timeline
Official Publish:
December 10th, 2021
Last Modified:
October 21st, 2025
Added to House:
July 21st, 2026
CVSS Vectors
No vector data available
MITRE ATT&CK TTPs
T1190
Exploit Public-Facing Application
Initial Access
T1059
Command and Scripting Interpreter
Execution
T1505.003
Web Shell
Persistence
T1105
Ingress Tool Transfer
Command and Control
T1068
Exploitation for Privilege Escalation
Privilege Escalation
T1499
Endpoint Denial of Service
Impact
T1498
Network Denial of Service
Impact
T1213
Data from Information Repositories
Collection
T1565.002
Stored Data Manipulation
Impact