CVE-2021-21064 in UPWARD-php
Summary
by MITRE • 02/25/2021
Magento UPWARD-php version 1.1.4 (and earlier) is affected by a Path traversal vulnerability in Magento UPWARD Connector version 1.1.2 (and earlier) due to the upload feature. An attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability to upload a malicious YAML file that can contain instructions which allows reading arbitrary files from the remote server. Access to the admin console is required for successful exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-21064 represents a critical path traversal flaw within the Magento UPWARD-php framework version 1.1.4 and earlier installations. This security weakness specifically affects the Magento UPWARD Connector version 1.1.2 and earlier releases, creating a dangerous attack vector through the application's file upload functionality. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly restrict file upload operations, allowing malicious actors to manipulate the upload process and execute arbitrary file reads on the affected server.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to have valid administrative credentials to access the Magento admin console, which serves as the primary attack surface for this particular flaw. Once authenticated, the malicious actor can leverage the upload feature to submit a specially crafted YAML file that contains malicious instructions designed to traverse the file system and read arbitrary files from the remote server. This path traversal capability enables attackers to potentially access sensitive configuration files, database credentials, application source code, and other confidential data stored on the server. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which specifically addresses path traversal vulnerabilities, and represents a classic example of insecure file handling in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with the capability to escalate their attacks and potentially gain full system compromise. Successful exploitation allows adversaries to read system files that may contain database connection strings, encryption keys, and other critical information that could be used for further attacks within the network. The attack requires administrative access, which makes it less likely to be exploited by casual attackers but still poses a significant risk for insider threats or compromised admin accounts. Organizations running affected Magento versions face potential data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and reputational damage if this vulnerability is successfully exploited.
Security mitigations for CVE-2021-21064 should focus on immediate version upgrades to Magento UPWARD-php version 1.1.5 or later, which includes proper input validation and sanitization measures to prevent path traversal attacks. Organizations should also implement strict file upload restrictions, including MIME type validation, file extension filtering, and content inspection to prevent malicious files from being processed. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit administrative access to only trusted personnel, while implementing monitoring and logging mechanisms to detect suspicious upload activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing defense-in-depth strategies as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's application security categories, particularly focusing on preventing privilege escalation and unauthorized file access through proper input validation and access control mechanisms.