CVE-2021-21296 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Fleet is an open source osquery manager. In Fleet before version 3.7.0, a malicious actor with a valid node key can send a badly formatted request that causes the Fleet server to exit, resulting in denial of service. This vulnerability has low impact due to the requirement of a valid node key, with no information disclosure, privilege escalation, or code execution. The issue has been fixed in Fleet 3.7.0.

Understanding CVE-2021-21296

This section delves into the details of the CVE-2021-21296 vulnerability.

What is CVE-2021-21296?

CVE-2021-21296 is a denial-of-service vulnerability found in Fleet, an open source osquery manager. Malicious actors with a valid node key can exploit this issue, causing the Fleet server to crash.

The Impact of CVE-2021-21296

The impact of CVE-2021-21296 is considered low as it requires a valid node key for exploitation, limiting the risk of information exposure or system compromise.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-21296

This section covers the technical aspects of the CVE-2021-21296 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Fleet before version 3.7.0 allows malicious actors with a valid node key to trigger a denial-of-service condition by sending a malformed request during a live query.

Affected Systems and Versions

Fleet versions earlier than 3.7.0 are impacted by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploitation of CVE-2021-21296 involves sending a specific malformed request with a valid node key to the Fleet server to cause a denial of service.

Mitigation and Prevention

Here are the recommended steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2021-21296.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Fleet to version 3.7.0 or newer to eliminate the vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Enforce access controls and regularly update systems to prevent future vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories and promptly apply patches to maintain a secure environment.