CVE-2021-22134
Description
A document disclosure flaw was found in Elasticsearch versions after 7.6.0 and before 7.11.0 when Document or Field Level Security is used. Get requests do not properly apply security permissions when executing a query against a recently updated document. This affects documents that have been updated and not yet refreshed in the index. This could result in the search disclosing the existence of documents and fields the attacker should not be able to view.
AI Insight
LLM-synthesized narrative grounded in this CVE's description and references.
Elasticsearch DLS/FLS bypass via get requests on unrefreshed documents, allowing disclosure of document existence and fields to authenticated attackers.
Vulnerability
Overview
CVE-2021-22134 is a document disclosure flaw in Elasticsearch versions after 7.6.0 and before 7.11.0 when Document or Field Level Security (DLS/FLS) is enabled. The root cause is that Get requests do not properly apply security permissions when querying a document that has been recently updated but not yet refreshed in the index. This means the security check is bypassed for documents that are still in the indexing buffer, leading to potential information disclosure [1][2].
Exploitation
Conditions
An attacker must be authenticated to the Elasticsearch cluster and know the specific document ID to execute a Get request against an unrefreshed document. The attack vector is adjacent network (AV:A) and requires low privileges (PR:L) with no user interaction (UI:N). The CVSSv3 score is 2.6, reflecting the limited scope and prerequisites [2].
Impact
Successful exploitation allows an attacker to learn the existence of documents and fields that they should not be able to view under the configured DLS/FLS rules. This violates the intended access controls and could expose sensitive data or metadata [1][2].
Mitigation
Elasticsearch version 7.11.0 contains the fix for this vulnerability. There is no known workaround; users running affected versions with DLS/FLS enabled must upgrade to 7.11.0 to remediate the issue [2].
AI Insight generated on May 21, 2026. Synthesized from this CVE's description and the cited reference URLs; citations are validated against the source bundle.
Affected packages
Versions sourced from the GitHub Security Advisory.
| Package | Affected versions | Patched versions |
|---|---|---|
org.elasticsearch:elasticsearchMaven | >= 7.6.0, < 7.11.0 | 7.11.0 |
Affected products
3- osv-coords2 versions
>= 7.6.0, < 7.11.1+ 1 more
- (no CPE)range: >= 7.6.0, < 7.11.1
- (no CPE)range: >= 7.6.0, < 7.11.0
- Range: after 7.6.0 and before 7.11.0
Patches
0No patches discovered yet.
Vulnerability mechanics
AI mechanics synthesis has not run for this CVE yet.
References
6- github.com/advisories/GHSA-hwvv-438r-mhvjghsaADVISORY
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22134ghsaADVISORY
- discuss.elastic.co/t/elastic-stack-7-11-0-security-update/265835ghsax_refsource_MISCWEB
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210430-0006ghsaWEB
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210430-0006/mitrex_refsource_CONFIRM
- www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2022.htmlghsax_refsource_MISCWEB
News mentions
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