CVE-2021-21441 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability has been identified in the ticket overview screens of OTRS. This vulnerability allows an attacker to collect sensitive information by sending a specially crafted email to the system, requiring no user interaction. The OTRS versions affected include OTRS Community Edition 6.0.1 and later, as well as OTRS 7.0.26 and prior versions.

Understanding CVE-2021-21441

This section will delve into the specifics of the CVE-2021-21441 vulnerability.

What is CVE-2021-21441?

The CVE-2021-21441 vulnerability is a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) issue found in the ticket overview screens of OTRS. It allows attackers to gather information by exploiting a flaw that displays email content without proper validation.

The Impact of CVE-2021-21441

This vulnerability poses a high risk as it enables attackers to execute malicious scripts in an unsuspecting user's browser, potentially leading to leakage of sensitive data and unauthorized access.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-21441

In this section, we will explore the technical details regarding CVE-2021-21441.

Vulnerability Description

The XSS vulnerability in OTRS ticket overview screens allows threat actors to perform attacks by sending manipulated emails, leading to the disclosure of sensitive information through the interface.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected systems include OTRS Community Edition 6.0.1 and later versions, along with OTRS 7.0.26 and previous versions.

Exploitation Mechanism

To exploit CVE-2021-21441, attackers send specially crafted emails to the OTRS system, triggering the execution of malicious scripts in the context of the user's web session.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section focuses on the steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of the CVE-2021-21441 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update their OTRS installations to version 7.0.27 to address the XSS vulnerability and prevent potential attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing robust input validation mechanisms, conducting regular security audits, and maintaining up-to-date software are essential for enhancing overall security posture.

Patching and Updates

Regularly monitoring for security advisories, promptly applying patches released by OTRS, and staying informed about the latest developments in web security are crucial for safeguarding against XSS vulnerabilities.