CVE-2021-21239
MEDIUMDescription
PySAML2 is a pure python implementation of SAML Version 2 Standard. PySAML2 before 6.5.0 has an improper verification of cryptographic signature vulnerability. Users of pysaml2 that use the default CryptoBackendXmlSec1 backend and need to verify signed SAML documents are impacted. PySAML2 does not ensure that a signed SAML document is correctly signed. The default CryptoBackendXmlSec1 backend is using the xmlsec1 binary to verify the signature of signed SAML documents, but by default xmlsec1 accepts any type of key found within the given document. xmlsec1 needs to be configured explicitly to only use only _x509 certificates_ for the verification process of the SAML document signature. This is fixed in PySAML2 6.5.0.
How to fix
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2021-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2023-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2028-04-01.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2025-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2030-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2021-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2023-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2028-04-01.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2025-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2030-04-02.
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Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Exploit Intelligence
Moderate risk: more likely to be exploited than 68% of all known CVEs.
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-347 vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2018-16042 | Medium | 6.5 | 82% | - | - |
| CVE-2025-59718 | Critical | 9.8 | 68% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2025-25292 | Critical | 9.8 | 65% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2026-48558 | Critical | 10.0 | 64% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2021-22160 | Critical | 9.8 | 53% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2013-3900 | Medium | 5.5 | 45% | KEV | - |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2021-21239?
Published advisories record a fix for 4 affected products. The "How to fix" section on this page lists the fixed version and source advisory for each one, so apply the entry matching what you actually run.
Is CVE-2021-21239 being actively exploited?
Not that we know of. CVE-2021-21239 is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Its EPSS score of 1.3% is the estimated probability that it will be exploited in the next 30 days. That is higher than 68% of all scored CVEs.
How severe is CVE-2021-21239?
CVE-2021-21239 has a CVSS v3 base score of 6.5, rated medium. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2021-21239 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for python-pysaml2 (Debian), pysaml2 (PyPI (Python)), python-pysaml2 (Ubuntu), python3-pysaml2 (Ubuntu). Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2026-06-17.