CVE-2021-21916 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This article provides detailed information about CVE-2021-21916, a SQL injection vulnerability in Advantech R-SeeNet 2.4.15.

Understanding CVE-2021-21916

This section covers the impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies related to CVE-2021-21916.

What is CVE-2021-21916?

CVE-2021-21916 is an SQL injection vulnerability found in the 'group_list' page of Advantech R-SeeNet 2.4.15 (30.07.2021), allowing attackers to execute malicious SQL commands.

The Impact of CVE-2021-21916

With a CVSS base score of 7.7 (High), this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, posing a significant risk to confidentiality.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-21916

This section delves into the specifics of the vulnerability, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises due to improper input validation in the 'description_filter' parameter, enabling attackers to manipulate SQL queries.

Affected Systems and Versions

Advantech R-SeeNet 2.4.15 (30.07.2021) is confirmed to be affected by this security flaw.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending specially-crafted HTTP requests, either as authenticated users or through cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines immediate steps to secure systems and prevent exploitation of CVE-2021-21916.

Immediate Steps to Take

Organizations are advised to apply security patches promptly, restrict access to vulnerable components, and monitor for any unauthorized activity.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement stringent input validation mechanisms, conduct regular security assessments, and educate users about SQL injection risks.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that the latest patches provided by Advantech are applied to all affected systems to mitigate the SQL injection vulnerability.