CVE-2021-42767: Apoc Path Traversal Vulnerability

CRITICAL
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-4mpj-488r-vh6m
CVSS 9.1
CWE-22
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2021-42767 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 9.1) path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')) affecting Apoc libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves neo4j graph database vulnerable to path traversal. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 3.5.17, 4.2.10, 4.3.0.4, 4.4.0.1.

CVE-2021-42767 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2021-42767
GHSA Identifier GHSA-4mpj-488r-vh6m
Severity CRITICAL
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 9.1
CWE Classification CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Affected Product Apoc
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 9.1

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

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

How to Fix CVE-2021-42767

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

org.neo4j.procedure:apoc fixed: 3.5.17
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.neo4j.procedure</groupId>
    <artifactId>apoc</artifactId>
    <version>3.5.17</version>
</dependency>
org.neo4j.procedure:apoc fixed: 4.2.10
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.neo4j.procedure</groupId>
    <artifactId>apoc</artifactId>
    <version>4.2.10</version>
</dependency>
org.neo4j.procedure:apoc fixed: 4.3.0.4
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.neo4j.procedure</groupId>
    <artifactId>apoc</artifactId>
    <version>4.3.0.4</version>
</dependency>
org.neo4j.procedure:apoc fixed: 4.4.0.1
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.neo4j.procedure</groupId>
    <artifactId>apoc</artifactId>
    <version>4.4.0.1</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=org.neo4j.procedure

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2021-42767, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.neo4j.procedure

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Apoc in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 3.5.17), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.neo4j.procedure 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-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal'), where the product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory. In Apoc, 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

### Impact Directory Traversal Vulnerabilities found in several functions of apoc plugins in Neo4j Graph database. The attacker can retrieve and download files from outside the configured directory on the affected server. Under some circumstances, the attacker can also create files. ### Patches The users should aim to use the latest released version compatible with their Neo4j version. The minimum versions containing patch for this vulnerability (for Neo4j 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4 bundled with APOC, upgrade to the appropriate patched version): 3.5 - bundle n/a, standalone 3.5.0.17 4.2 - bundle 4.2.13, standalone 4.2.0.10 4.3 - bundle 4.3.9, standalone 4.3.0.4 4.4 - bundle 4.4.2, standalone 4.4.0.1 ### Workarounds If you cannot upgrade the library, you can control the [allowlist of the functions](https://neo4j.com/docs/operations-manual/current/reference/configuration-settings/#config_dbms.security.procedures.allowlist) that can be used in your system: ### For more information If you have any questions or comments about this advisory: * Open an issue in [neo4j-apoc-procedures](https://github.com/neo4j-contrib/neo4j-apoc-procedures) * Email us at [security@neo4j.com](mailto:security@neo4j.com) ### Credits We want to publicly recognize the contribution of Nicolai Grødum from the Red Team of PwC Norway for reporting this issue and following the responsible disclosure [policy](https://neo4j.com/trust-center/responsible-disclosure/).

CVE-2021-42767 Affected Apoc Versions

4 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
3.5.174.2.104.3.0.44.4.0.1
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.neo4j.procedure:apoc
Maven
< 3.5.17
3.5.17
org.neo4j.procedure:apoc
Maven
≥ 4.2.0
< 4.2.10
4.2.10
org.neo4j.procedure:apoc
Maven
≥ 4.3.0.0
< 4.3.0.4
4.3.0.4
org.neo4j.procedure:apoc
Maven
≥ 4.4.0.0
< 4.4.0.1
All 1 versions
4.4.0.0
4.4.0.1

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-42767?
CVE-2021-42767 is a security vulnerability in Apoc involving Neo4j Graph Database vulnerable to Path Traversal under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal').
Which Apoc versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 3.5.17, 4.2.10, 4.3.0.4, 4.4.0.1 across affected packages: org.neo4j.procedure:apoc.
What version fixes CVE-2021-42767?
Upgrading to 3.5.17, 4.2.10, 4.3.0.4, 4.4.0.1 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is apoc affected?
Yes, org.neo4j.procedure:apoc is affected in releases prior to 3.5.17, 4.2.10, 4.3.0.4, 4.4.0.1. Upgrade your dependency to 3.5.17, 4.2.10, 4.3.0.4, 4.4.0.1 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-42767?
CVE-2021-42767 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1 (CRITICAL) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2021-42767?
CVE-2021-42767 is classified under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') (The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2021-42767?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.neo4j.procedure'. 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
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-4mpj-488r-vh6m",
  "modified" : "2022-07-22T16:35:11Z",
  "published" : "2022-02-01T22:01:14Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2021-42767" ],
  "summary" : "Neo4j Graph Database vulnerable to Path Traversal",
  "details" : "### Impact\nDirectory Traversal Vulnerabilities found in several functions of apoc plugins in Neo4j Graph database. The attacker can retrieve and download files from outside the configured directory on the affected server. Under some circumstances, the attacker can also create files.\n\n### Patches\nThe users should aim to use the latest released version compatible with their Neo4j version. The minimum versions containing patch for this vulnerability (for Neo4j 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4 bundled with APOC, upgrade to the appropriate patched version):\n3.5 - bundle n/a, standalone 3.5.0.17\n4.2 - bundle 4.2.13, standalone 4.2.0.10\n4.3 - bundle 4.3.9, standalone 4.3.0.4\n4.4 - bundle 4.4.2, standalone 4.4.0.1\n\n### Workarounds\nIf you cannot upgrade the library, you can control the [allowlist of the functions](https://neo4j.com/docs/operations-manual/current/reference/configuration-settings/#config_dbms.security.procedures.allowlist) that can be used in your system:\n\n\n### For more information\nIf you have any questions or comments about this advisory:\n* Open an issue in [neo4j-apoc-procedures](https://github.com/neo4j-contrib/neo4j-apoc-procedures)\n* Email us at [security@neo4j.com](mailto:security@neo4j.com)\n\n### Credits\nWe want to publicly recognize the contribution of Nicolai Grødum from the Red Team of PwC Norway for reporting this issue and following the responsible disclosure [policy](https://neo4j.com/trust-center/responsible-disclosure/). \n",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.neo4j.procedure:apoc"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.5.17"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.neo4j.procedure:apoc"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "4.2.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.2.10"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.neo4j.procedure:apoc"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "4.3.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.3.0.4"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 4.3.0.3"
    }
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.neo4j.procedure:apoc"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "4.4.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.4.0.1"
      } ]
    } ],
    "versions" : [ "4.4.0.0" ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/neo4j-contrib/neo4j-apoc-procedures/security/advisories/GHSA-4mpj-488r-vh6m"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-42767"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://neo4j.com"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-22" ],
    "severity" : "CRITICAL",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2022-02-01T15:58:43Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2022-03-01T02:15:00Z"
  }
}