CVE-2021-21590 : What You Need to Know

Dell EMC Unity, Unity XT, and UnityVSA versions prior to 5.1.0.0.5.394 have been found to contain a plain-text password storage vulnerability. This could allow a local malicious user with high privileges to exploit the exposed password and gain unauthorized access with the compromised user's privileges.

Understanding CVE-2021-21590

This section delves deeper into the impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies related to CVE-2021-21590.

What is CVE-2021-21590?

CVE-2021-21590 pertains to a vulnerability in Dell EMC Unity, Unity XT, and UnityVSA versions before 5.1.0.0.5.394, where sensitive passwords are stored in plain text, enabling unauthorized users to access compromised accounts.

The Impact of CVE-2021-21590

The vulnerability poses a medium-severity threat with a CVSS base score of 6.4, allowing local, high-privileged attackers to potentially compromise user accounts, leading to unauthorized access with elevated privileges.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-21590

Dive into the specifics of the vulnerability including its description, affected systems, and exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability involves plain-text password storage in Dell EMC Unity, Unity XT, and UnityVSA versions preceding 5.1.0.0.5.394, posing a significant security risk for compromising user accounts.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected products include Unity by Dell in custom versions unspecified before 5.1.0.0.5.394, indicating a range of systems that may be exploited if not updated.

Exploitation Mechanism

A local malicious user with high privileges can exploit the exposed plain-text password to gain unauthorized access as a compromised user, potentially leading to data breaches and system compromise.

Mitigation and Prevention

Explore the immediate steps and best practices to secure systems against CVE-2021-21590.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users should promptly update affected Unity, Unity XT, and UnityVSA installations to version 5.1.0.0.5.394 or above to mitigate the risk of password exposure and unauthorized access.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement robust password management policies, user access controls, and regular security audits to enhance overall system security and prevent similar vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Regularly monitor vendor security advisories and apply patches promptly to address known vulnerabilities and enhance the security posture of Dell EMC Unity products.