Privilege escalation vulnerability when using HTML attachments
CVE-2021-38295

7.3HIGH

Key Information:

Vendor
Apache
Status
Apache Couchdb
IBM Cloudant
Vendor
CVE Published:
14 October 2021

Badges

👾 Exploit Exists🟡 Public PoC

Summary

In Apache CouchDB, a malicious user with permission to create documents in a database is able to attach a HTML attachment to a document. If a CouchDB admin opens that attachment in a browser, e.g. via the CouchDB admin interface Fauxton, any JavaScript code embedded in that HTML attachment will be executed within the security context of that admin. A similar route is available with the already deprecated _show and _list functionality. This privilege escalation vulnerability allows an attacker to add or remove data in any database or make configuration changes. This issue affected Apache CouchDB prior to 3.1.2

Affected Version(s)

Apache CouchDB Apache CouchDB < 3.1.2

IBM Cloudant IBM Cloudant < 8201

Exploit Proof of Concept (PoC)

PoC code is written by security researchers to demonstrate the vulnerability can be exploited. PoC code is also a key component for weaponization which could lead to ransomware.

CVE-2021-38295-PoC
Created by ProfessionallyEvil

References

https://docs.couchdb.org/en/stable/cve/2021-38295.html
x_refsource_MISC

CVSS V3.1

Score:
7.3
Severity:
HIGH
Confidentiality:
High
Integrity:
High
Availability:
High
Attack Vector:
Local
Attack Complexity:
Low
Privileges Required:
Low
User Interaction:
Required
Scope:
Unchanged

Timeline

  • 🟡

    Public PoC available

  • 👾

    Exploit known to exist

  • Vulnerability published

  • Vulnerability Reserved

Credit

This issue was identified by Cory Sabol of Secure Ideas.
.