CVE-2021-1630 : What You Need to Know

A XML external entity (XXE) vulnerability has been identified in certain versions of MuleSoft Mule CE/EE released before June 8, 2021. This vulnerability may impact various Mule runtime components and services.

Understanding CVE-2021-1630

This section will provide insights into the vulnerability's nature, impact, and affected systems.

What is CVE-2021-1630?

The CVE-2021-1630 is a XML external entity (XXE) vulnerability present in MuleSoft Mule CE/EE 3.x and 4.x versions released before June 8, 2021. It poses a risk to CloudHub, GovCloud, Runtime Fabric, Pivotal Cloud Foundry, Private Cloud Edition, and on-premise customers.

The Impact of CVE-2021-1630

The vulnerability could allow an attacker to exploit XML external entities to disclose confidential data, execute remote attacks, and perform denial of service (DoS) attacks on affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-1630

This section will outline the specifics of the vulnerability, including its description, affected systems, and exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises due to improper parsing of XML entities, allowing malicious entities to be processed by the system, leading to potential security breaches.

Affected Systems and Versions

MuleSoft Mule CE/EE 3.x and 4.x versions released before June 8, 2021 are susceptible to this XXE vulnerability. CloudHub, GovCloud, Runtime Fabric, Pivotal Cloud Foundry, Private Cloud Edition, and on-premise installations are potentially impacted.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can craft malicious XML payloads to trigger the vulnerability, exploiting the insecure processing of external entities within the affected MuleSoft runtime components.

Mitigation and Prevention

In this section, we will cover the immediate steps to take and best practices for long-term security measures.

Immediate Steps to Take

Affected organizations should apply security patches provided by MuleSoft to mitigate the CVE-2021-1630 vulnerability. Additionally, implementing network segregation and monitoring for unusual activities can help detect exploitation attempts.

Long-Term Security Practices

To enhance overall security posture, organizations should regularly update MuleSoft runtimes, conduct security audits, educate staff on secure coding practices, and implement robust access controls.

Patching and Updates

Regularly monitor MuleSoft security advisories and promptly apply security patches as they are released. Continuous monitoring for emerging vulnerabilities in MuleSoft products and adjusting security measures accordingly is crucial to stay protected.