CVE-2021-46363: Magnolia core Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-65hp-4vxr-c356
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CVSS 7.8
CWE-1236
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2021-46363 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.8) arbitrary code execution vulnerability (CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File) affecting Magnolia core libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves arbitrary code execution in magnolia cms. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 6.2.4.

CVE-2021-46363 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2021-46363
GHSA Identifier GHSA-65hp-4vxr-c356
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.8
CWE Classification CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File
Affected Product Magnolia core
Package Ecosystem Maven
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-2021-46363

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

info.magnolia:magnolia-core fixed: 6.2.4 
<dependency>
    <groupId>info.magnolia</groupId>
    <artifactId>magnolia-core</artifactId>
    <version>6.2.4</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

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

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=info.magnolia

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2021-46363, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=info.magnolia

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Magnolia core in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 6.2.4), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=info.magnolia command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

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 Magnolia core, 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

An issue in the Export function of Magnolia v6.2.3 and below allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted CSV/XLS file.

CVE-2021-46363 Affected Magnolia core Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
6.2.4
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
info.magnolia:magnolia-core
maven/info.magnolia/magnolia-core
Maven
< 6.2.4
6.2.4

References

NVD — CVE-2021-46363 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-46363
docs.magnolia-cms.com/product-docs/6.2/re... WEB
https://docs.magnolia-cms.com/product-docs/6.2/Releases/Release-notes-for-Magnolia-CMS-6.2.4.html#_security_advisory
Magnolia core Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/DrunkenShells/Disclosures/tree/master/CVE-2021-46363-Formula%20Injection-Magnolia%20CMS

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-46363?
CVE-2021-46363 is a security vulnerability in Magnolia core involving Arbitrary code execution in Magnolia CMS under CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File.
Which Magnolia core versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 6.2.4 across affected packages: info.magnolia:magnolia-core.
What version fixes CVE-2021-46363?
Upgrading to 6.2.4 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is magnolia-core affected?
Yes, info.magnolia:magnolia-core is affected in releases prior to 6.2.4. Upgrade your dependency to 6.2.4 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-46363?
CVE-2021-46363 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-2021-46363?
CVE-2021-46363 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 Maven dependencies for CVE-2021-46363?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=info.magnolia'. 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-65hp-4vxr-c356",
  "modified" : "2022-02-23T21:53:30Z",
  "published" : "2022-02-12T00:00:37Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2021-46363" ],
  "summary" : "Arbitrary code execution in Magnolia CMS",
  "details" : "An issue in the Export function of Magnolia v6.2.3 and below allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted CSV/XLS file.",
  "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" : "Maven",
      "name" : "info.magnolia:magnolia-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "6.2.4"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-46363"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://docs.magnolia-cms.com/product-docs/6.2/Releases/Release-notes-for-Magnolia-CMS-6.2.4.html#_security_advisory"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/DrunkenShells/Disclosures/tree/master/CVE-2021-46363-Formula%20Injection-Magnolia%20CMS"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-1236" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2022-02-14T22:43:59Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2022-02-11T21:15:00Z"
  }
}