CVE-2021-35220 in Orion Platform
Summary
by MITRE • 08/31/2021
Command Injection vulnerability in EmailWebPage API which can lead to a Remote Code Execution (RCE) from the Alerts Settings page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/03/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-35220 represents a critical command injection flaw within the EmailWebPage API component of a web application system. This weakness exists in the Alerts Settings page functionality where user-supplied input is improperly validated and directly incorporated into system commands without adequate sanitization or escaping mechanisms. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper handling of user-provided data within the email configuration interface, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary commands that will be executed by the underlying operating system. The flaw specifically manifests when administrators or users configure email alert settings, making the attack surface accessible through legitimate administrative functions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a command injection pattern that aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-88, where untrusted data flows into command execution functions without proper sanitization. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that exploit the vulnerable API endpoint by injecting shell commands through the email configuration parameters. When the system processes these inputs, it concatenates the malicious commands with legitimate system commands, resulting in unauthorized execution of arbitrary code with the privileges of the web application service account. This type of vulnerability typically occurs when developers use functions like system(), exec(), or shell_exec() without proper input filtering, allowing attackers to manipulate command arguments and inject additional commands separated by shell operators such as semicolons, ampersands, or pipes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise to potentially enable full system compromise and persistent access within the affected environment. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute commands with elevated privileges, potentially leading to privilege escalation, lateral movement, and data exfiltration across the network. The vulnerability affects the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of the system by enabling unauthorized access to the underlying infrastructure. The remote code execution capability means attackers can establish backdoors, deploy malware, modify system configurations, or exfiltrate sensitive information without requiring direct access to the system. This vulnerability particularly impacts organizations that rely on email alerting systems for security monitoring, as it provides a direct path to compromise these critical notification mechanisms and potentially disable security controls.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-35220 should prioritize immediate patching of the vulnerable application components and implementation of proper input validation controls. Organizations must enforce strict parameter sanitization and input validation at multiple layers including API endpoints, web application firewalls, and network-level controls. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by running web applications with minimal required permissions and implementing proper command execution isolation. Network segmentation and monitoring controls should be deployed to detect and prevent unusual command execution patterns. Security controls aligned with NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 standards should be implemented to address command injection vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1059.003 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell), indicating the need for comprehensive monitoring of command execution activities and behavioral analysis to detect anomalous patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in the application code and ensure proper input handling mechanisms are in place.