CVE-2021-28461 in Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations
Summary
by MITRE • 05/12/2021
Dynamics Finance and Operations Cross-site Scripting Vulnerability
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2021
The CVE-2021-28461 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Microsoft Dynamics Finance and Operations, a comprehensive enterprise resource planning platform widely deployed across global organizations. This vulnerability exists within the web application layer of the Dynamics platform, specifically affecting the way the system processes and renders user input in web interfaces. The flaw allows malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, potentially compromising the integrity of the entire financial and operational data processing environment.
This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Dynamics Finance and Operations web components. When users interact with the application through web browsers, the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web responses. The technical implementation lacks adequate protection against script injection attacks, particularly when handling form inputs, URL parameters, and other user-controllable data streams. According to CWE-79, this vulnerability directly maps to Cross-site Scripting flaws where untrusted data is improperly escaped or filtered before being rendered in web contexts. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations, with the specific impact varying based on the application modules and user roles within the system.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-28461 extends beyond simple data theft or manipulation, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges and compromise entire enterprise environments. Successful exploitation allows threat actors to execute malicious scripts in the context of authenticated users, potentially leading to unauthorized access to financial records, operational data, and sensitive business information. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform session hijacking, steal authentication tokens, redirect users to malicious sites, or even inject additional malware into the corporate network. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that Dynamics Finance and Operations typically handle critical business data including financial transactions, inventory management, and supply chain information, making any compromise potentially devastating to organizational operations and compliance requirements.
Organizations should immediately implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, beginning with applying the official Microsoft security patches released in response to this flaw. The mitigation strategy must include network-level protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions that can detect and block malicious script injection attempts. Security teams should also implement comprehensive input validation policies and output encoding mechanisms across all web applications within the Dynamics environment. According to ATT&CK framework technique T1531, adversaries often exploit web application vulnerabilities to gain access to sensitive data, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments. Organizations should conduct immediate vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of affected systems and establish monitoring protocols to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, user education and awareness programs should emphasize the importance of avoiding suspicious links and unusual application behavior that might indicate exploitation of this vulnerability.