CVE-2021-42847 in ADAudit Plus
Summary
by MITRE • 11/11/2021
Zoho ManageEngine ADAudit Plus before 7006 allows attackers to write to, and execute, arbitrary files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/16/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-42847 affects Zoho ManageEngine ADAudit Plus versions prior to 7006, representing a critical path traversal and arbitrary file execution flaw that fundamentally compromises system integrity. This vulnerability resides within the application's file handling mechanisms and permits unauthenticated attackers to manipulate the file system through crafted requests that bypass normal access controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and inadequate file path sanitization within the application's core components. Attackers can exploit this weakness by submitting malicious file paths that traverse the directory structure to reach protected system locations. The flaw essentially allows attackers to write files to arbitrary locations on the target system and subsequently execute them with the privileges of the affected service account, which typically operates with elevated permissions.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-22 Path Traversal and CWE-74 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component, with implications that align with ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1078 Valid Accounts. The operational impact is severe as it provides attackers with a persistent means of establishing footholds within networks, enabling them to deploy malware, create backdoors, or escalate privileges to gain administrative access to the entire system.
The exploitation process typically involves sending specially crafted HTTP requests that include directory traversal sequences such as ../ or ..\ to manipulate file paths and gain access to restricted directories. Once the attacker successfully writes malicious files to the system, they can execute them through various means including web shell deployment, script execution, or by leveraging legitimate system utilities that the application may invoke.
Organizations using affected versions of Zoho ManageEngine ADAudit Plus should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patch to version 7006 or later, which addresses the input validation and path traversal issues. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to the application, while monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious file creation and execution patterns. Additionally, regular security assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other applications within the environment, as this type of flaw often indicates broader security weaknesses in file handling and access control implementations.