CVE-2021-43515: Kevinpapst/kimai2 Improper Neutralization Of Formula Elements Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-64fq-9c6w-rq44
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CVSS 7.8
CWE-1236
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2021-43515 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.8) improper neutralization of formula elements vulnerability (CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File) affecting Kevinpapst/kimai2 libraries in the Packagist ecosystem. The issue involves improper neutralization of formula elements in a csv file in kimai 2. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.14.1.

CVE-2021-43515 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2021-43515
GHSA Identifier GHSA-64fq-9c6w-rq44
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.8
CWE Classification CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File
Affected Product Kevinpapst/kimai2
Package Ecosystem Packagist
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.8

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Local (AV:L)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction Required (UI:R)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2021-43515

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Kevinpapst/kimai2 dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

kevinpapst/kimai2 fixed: 1.14.1 
Upgrade kevinpapst/kimai2 to 1.14.1
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

inspect dependencies for kevinpapst/kimai2

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2021-43515, inspect your project dependencies for Kevinpapst/kimai2:

inspect dependencies for kevinpapst/kimai2

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Kevinpapst/kimai2 in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.14.1), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File, where the product saves user-provided information into a comma-separated value (csv) file, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as a command when the file is opened by a spreadsheet product. In Kevinpapst/kimai2, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

A CSV Injection vulnerablity exists in Kimai Kimai 2 prior to 1.14.1 via a description in a new timesheet.

CVE-2021-43515 Affected Kevinpapst/kimai2 Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.14.1
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
kevinpapst/kimai2
 Packagist
< 1.14.1
1.14.1

References

NVD — CVE-2021-43515 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-43515
Kevinpapst/kimai2 Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/kevinpapst/kimai2/pull/2532
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/kevinpapst/kimai2/commit/dad1b8b772947f1596175add1b4f33b791705507#diff-6774f5865dbaf8bc6c55b75bd92e6f9950ebe7834aa2efd828a19fd637e667cf
Kevinpapst/kimai2 Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/kevinpapst/kimai2

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-43515?
CVE-2021-43515 is a security vulnerability in Kevinpapst/kimai2 involving Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File in Kimai 2 under CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File.
Which Kevinpapst/kimai2 versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.14.1 across affected packages: kevinpapst/kimai2.
What version fixes CVE-2021-43515?
Upgrading to 1.14.1 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is kevinpapst/kimai2 affected?
Yes, kevinpapst/kimai2 is affected in releases prior to 1.14.1. Upgrade your dependency to 1.14.1 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-43515?
CVE-2021-43515 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2021-43515?
CVE-2021-43515 is classified under CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File (The product saves user-provided information into a Comma-Separated Value (CSV) file, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as a command when the file is opened by a spreadsheet product.).
How can I check Packagist dependencies for CVE-2021-43515?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for kevinpapst/kimai2'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-64fq-9c6w-rq44",
  "modified" : "2022-04-22T20:21:47Z",
  "published" : "2022-04-09T00:00:25Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2021-43515" ],
  "summary" : "Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File in Kimai 2",
  "details" : "A CSV Injection vulnerablity exists in Kimai Kimai 2 prior to 1.14.1 via a description in a new timesheet.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Packagist",
      "name" : "kevinpapst/kimai2"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.14.1"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-43515"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kevinpapst/kimai2/pull/2532"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kevinpapst/kimai2/commit/dad1b8b772947f1596175add1b4f33b791705507#diff-6774f5865dbaf8bc6c55b75bd92e6f9950ebe7834aa2efd828a19fd637e667cf"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kevinpapst/kimai2"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-1236" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2022-04-22T20:21:47Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2022-04-08T17:15:00Z"
  }
}