TI-2021-15700 Aliases CVE-2021-37942 GHSA-5xqm-hc45-f2g2

APM Java Agent Local Privilege Escalation

LOW 34CWE-269Published 2023-11-22 · Updated 2024-08-04

Key facts

Attack vector: Local
Privileges required: Low
User interaction: None
Attack complexity: Low
Impact type: Privilege escalation
Confidentiality · integrity · availability: High · High · High
Fix status: Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-269.

Summary

A local privilege escalation issue was found with the APM Java agent, where a user on the system could attach a malicious plugin to an application running the APM Java agent. By using this vulnerability, an attacker could execute code at a potentially higher level of permissions than their user typically has access to.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.00249 16th percentileScored 2026-11-07

Fix Fixed Elastic APM Java Agent (Elastic): 1.27.0co.elastic.apm:apm-agent-parent (Maven): 1.27.1+1 more product

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

Vendor	Product	Affected versions	Fixed in	Status	Source
Elastic	Elastic APM Java Agent	1.18.0 to before 1.27.0	1.27.0	Patch available	CNA
—	co.elastic.apm:apm-agent-parent (Maven)	1.18.0 to before 1.27.1	1.27.1	Patch available	GHSA-5xqm-hc45-f2g2
—	co.elastic.apm:elastic-apm-agent (Maven)	1.18.0 to before 1.27.1	1.27.1	Patch available	GHSA-5xqm-hc45-f2g2

Elastic APM Java Agent VendorElastic Affected 1.18.0 to before 1.27.0 Fixed in 1.27.0 Patch available CNA
co.elastic.apm:apm-agent-parent (Maven) Vendor— Affected 1.18.0 to before 1.27.1 Fixed in 1.27.1 Patch available GHSA-5xqm-hc45-f2g2
co.elastic.apm:elastic-apm-agent (Maven) Vendor— Affected 1.18.0 to before 1.27.1 Fixed in 1.27.1 Patch available GHSA-5xqm-hc45-f2g2

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPE	Versions	Role	Vendor
cpe:2.3:a:elastic:apm_java_agent::::::::	1.18.0 – 1.27.0	Vulnerable	Elastic

cpe:2.3:a:elastic:apm_java_agent:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.18.0 – 1.27.0 Vulnerable ·Elastic

Remediation

Fix · CNA Elastic APM Java Agent (Elastic) Fixed in 1.27.0
Fix · GHSA-5xqm-hc45-f2g2 co.elastic.apm:apm-agent-parent (Maven) Fixed in 1.27.1 Advisory →
Fix · GHSA-5xqm-hc45-f2g2 co.elastic.apm:elastic-apm-agent (Maven) Fixed in 1.27.1 Advisory →

Timeline

2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-37942
2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-5xqm-hc45-f2g2

References

Advisory 2

Other 2

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences