CVE-2021-27251: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-2wc2-8hhf-wr42
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CWE-319
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2021-27251 is a HIGH security vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-319: Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The weakness occurs when the product transmits sensitive or security-critical data in cleartext in a communication channel that can be sniffed by unauthorized actors.. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2021-27251 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2021-27251
GHSA Identifier GHSA-2wc2-8hhf-wr42
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-319: Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information
Affected Product Software
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2021-27251

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

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

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2021-27251, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree

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

Note: The mvn dependency:tree 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-319: Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information, where the product transmits sensitive or security-critical data in cleartext in a communication channel that can be sniffed by unauthorized actors. In Software, 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

This vulnerability allows network-adjacent attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of NETGEAR Nighthawk R7800. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability The specific flaw exists within handling of firmware updates. The issue results from a fallback to a insecure protocol to deliver updates. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of root. Was ZDI-CAN-12308.

References

NVD — CVE-2021-27251 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-27251
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://kb.netgear.com/000062883/Security-Advisory-for-Multiple-Vulnerabilities-on-Some-Routers-Satellites-and-Extenders
www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/zdi-21-2... WEB
https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-21-247

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-27251?
CVE-2021-27251 is a security vulnerability in Software classified as a security vulnerability vulnerability under CWE-319: Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information.
Which Software versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches.
What version fixes CVE-2021-27251?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2021-27251?
CVE-2021-27251 is classified under CWE-319: Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information (The product transmits sensitive or security-critical data in cleartext in a communication channel that can be sniffed by unauthorized actors.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2021-27251?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree'. 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-2wc2-8hhf-wr42",
  "modified" : "2022-05-24T17:47:34Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-24T17:47:34Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2021-27251" ],
  "details" : "This vulnerability allows network-adjacent attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of NETGEAR Nighthawk R7800. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability The specific flaw exists within handling of firmware updates. The issue results from a fallback to a insecure protocol to deliver updates. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of root. Was ZDI-CAN-12308.",
  "severity" : [ ],
  "affected" : [ ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-27251"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://kb.netgear.com/000062883/Security-Advisory-for-Multiple-Vulnerabilities-on-Some-Routers-Satellites-and-Extenders"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-21-247"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-319" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : false,
    "github_reviewed_at" : null,
    "nvd_published_at" : "2021-04-14T16:15:00Z"
  }
}