CVE-2021-41395 in Teleport
Summary
by MITRE • 09/18/2021
Teleport before 6.2.12 and 7.x before 7.1.1 allows attackers to control a database connection string, in some situations, via a crafted database name or username.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2021
Teleport is an open-source privileged access management solution that provides secure access to infrastructure and applications through a unified platform. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-41395 affects versions prior to 6.2.12 and 7.1.1, representing a critical security flaw in the database connection handling mechanism. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization when processing database connection strings, particularly in scenarios involving crafted database names or usernames. The flaw allows remote attackers to manipulate database connection parameters, potentially leading to unauthorized access to backend databases or data exfiltration.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the way Teleport processes database connection information during authentication and connection establishment phases. When users provide database names or usernames during the connection process, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize these inputs before incorporating them into connection strings. This insufficient validation creates an injection vector where maliciously crafted inputs can alter the intended database connection parameters. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the database abstraction layer, where attackers can leverage this flaw to redirect connections to unintended databases or manipulate connection parameters to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data stores.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass potential data breaches and system compromise. Attackers can exploit this flaw to redirect database connections to malicious endpoints, potentially gaining access to sensitive information stored in backend databases. The vulnerability affects various database types supported by Teleport including mysql, postgresql, and mongodb, making it particularly dangerous in environments with diverse database infrastructures. Organizations using affected versions of Teleport face significant risk of unauthorized data access, potential data loss, and compromise of database integrity. The vulnerability's exploitation does not require elevated privileges, making it accessible to attackers with minimal initial access to the Teleport system.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Teleport versions 6.2.12 or 7.1.1, which contain the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of Teleport services to untrusted networks. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94 categories related to command and SQL injection, and can be mapped to ATT&CK techniques such as T1190 for exploiting vulnerabilities and T1071 for application layer protocols. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict input validation policies, monitoring database connection patterns for anomalous behavior, and conducting regular security assessments of database access controls. Organizations should also review their database connection string handling procedures and implement proper sanitization of all user-provided inputs to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of their infrastructure.