CVE-2021-43589 in Unity
Summary
by MITRE • 01/24/2022
Dell EMC Unity, Dell EMC UnityVSA and Dell EMC Unity XT versions prior to 5.1.2.0.5.007 contain an operating system (OS) command injection Vulnerability. A locally authenticated user with high privileges may potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to the execution of arbitrary OS commands on the Unity underlying OS, with the privileges of the vulnerable application. Exploitation may lead to an elevation of privilege.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/28/2022
This vulnerability affects Dell EMC Unity storage systems including Unity, UnityVSA, and Unity XT models running software versions before 5.1.2.0.5.007. The issue represents a critical operating system command injection flaw that allows authenticated users with high privileges to execute arbitrary commands within the underlying operating system. The vulnerability resides in the way the system processes user input, creating an opportunity for command injection attacks that can bypass normal security controls and execute malicious code with the privileges of the vulnerable application.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the storage system's management interfaces. When authenticated users submit specific input parameters through the system's administrative interfaces, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape these inputs before processing them within the operating system context. This weakness creates a direct pathway for command injection attacks where malicious payloads can be executed as system commands. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only high-privilege local authentication, meaning that an attacker who has already gained administrative access to the system can leverage this flaw to escalate their privileges further or execute arbitrary code with elevated system permissions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple command execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to manipulate the underlying operating system and potentially gain complete control over the storage appliance. Successful exploitation could lead to data theft, system compromise, or complete system takeover. The vulnerability affects the core operating system functionality of the storage appliances, potentially allowing attackers to modify system files, install malicious software, or disable security features. Given that these storage systems typically handle sensitive enterprise data, the consequences of exploitation could include unauthorized data access, data corruption, or complete system outages that could impact business operations and data integrity.
Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided security patches and updates to address this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to Dell EMC Unity software versions 5.1.2.0.5.007 or later, which contain the necessary fixes to prevent command injection attacks. Additionally, system administrators should conduct thorough security assessments to identify any unauthorized access or suspicious activities that may have occurred prior to patching. Network segmentation and access control measures should be reviewed and strengthened to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-88 categories related to command injection and improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and it maps to ATT&CK techniques such as privilege escalation and command and control operations. Regular monitoring and logging of administrative activities should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain compliance with security standards and regulatory requirements.