CVE-2021-4089 in Snipe-IT
Summary
by MITRE • 12/10/2021
snipe-it is vulnerable to Improper Access Control
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2021
The CVE-2021-4089 vulnerability affects the snipe-it asset management platform, which is widely used for tracking hardware and software inventory in enterprise environments. This vulnerability represents a critical improper access control flaw that allows unauthorized users to bypass authentication mechanisms and gain elevated privileges within the system. The snipe-it platform serves as a comprehensive inventory management solution that organizations rely upon to track expensive assets, software licenses, and hardware configurations across their infrastructure. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user permissions and inadequate session management controls that fail to properly enforce access restrictions based on user roles and entitlements.
The technical implementation of this access control flaw manifests in the application's failure to properly validate whether authenticated users possess the necessary privileges to perform specific operations within the system. Attackers can exploit this weakness by manipulating API requests or web interface interactions to access restricted functionality and data that should only be available to administrators or users with specific authorization levels. The vulnerability typically occurs when the application does not adequately verify user credentials or role-based access controls during critical operations such as user management, system configuration changes, or sensitive data retrieval. This improper access control weakness creates a pathway for privilege escalation attacks where low-privilege users can potentially execute administrative functions or access confidential information that should remain restricted.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data breaches, system compromise, and regulatory compliance violations. Organizations utilizing snipe-it for managing critical assets face significant risk of exposure to sensitive information including hardware inventory details, software licensing data, and user access records. The vulnerability can enable attackers to modify user accounts, alter system configurations, or extract confidential data that could be used for further attacks within the organization's network. Additionally, the presence of this access control flaw may violate industry standards and regulatory requirements such as those outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO 27001, which mandate proper access control mechanisms to protect organizational assets and information systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-4089 should focus on implementing robust access control measures and conducting comprehensive security reviews of the application's authentication and authorization mechanisms. Organizations should immediately apply vendor-provided patches or updates that address the improper access control vulnerability, while also implementing additional security controls such as multi-factor authentication, enhanced session management, and regular access control audits. The remediation process should include validating that all user interactions are properly authenticated and authorized through well-defined role-based access control policies that align with the principle of least privilege. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring solutions to detect anomalous access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, as this vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation and credential access techniques. Organizations should conduct thorough penetration testing and vulnerability assessments to ensure that access control mechanisms function correctly and that no similar flaws exist within the broader application ecosystem.