CVE-2021-20109 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This CVE involves a vulnerability in the Manage Engine Asset Explorer Agent, affecting version 1.0.34 due to improper validation of HTTPS certificates. An attacker can exploit this flaw for malicious activities, potentially leading to a heap overflow.

Understanding CVE-2021-20109

This section delves into the details of the CVE-2021-20109 vulnerability.

What is CVE-2021-20109?

The vulnerability arises from the Asset Explorer agent's failure to validate HTTPS certificates, enabling an attacker to perform network-based attacks by manipulating IP addresses to intercept and manipulate communications.

The Impact of CVE-2021-20109

The vulnerability allows attackers to trigger a heap overflow when the POST payload response exceeds the buffer size, potentially leading to unauthorized access and execution of arbitrary code.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-20109

Let's explore the technical aspects of CVE-2021-20109.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stems from a heap overflow in the AEAgent.cpp file, triggered when the POST payload response exceeds the buffer size allocated for Unicode conversion.

Affected Systems and Versions

Manage Engine Asset Explorer Agent version 1.0.34 is affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

By manipulating IP addresses and intercepting communications, an attacker can exploit the lack of HTTPS certificate validation to trigger a heap overflow in the agent, potentially leading to unauthorized access and data manipulation.

Mitigation and Prevention

Learn how to protect systems from CVE-2021-20109.

Immediate Steps to Take

Ensure that HTTPS certificates are properly validated and implement network security measures to prevent IP address manipulation and unauthorized communications interception.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch the Manage Engine Asset Explorer Agent to fix known vulnerabilities and enhance overall security.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories and promptly apply patches released by Manage Engine to mitigate CVE-2021-20109.