CVE-2021-23376 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A critical Arbitrary Command Injection vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2021-23376, was discovered in the package ffmpegdotjs, affecting all versions. Attackers can exploit this flaw by providing user input to the trimvideo function, potentially leading to the execution of arbitrary commands due to the lack of input sanitization when utilizing the child_process exec function.

Understanding CVE-2021-23376

This section delves deeper into the impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies related to CVE-2021-23376.

What is CVE-2021-23376?

CVE-2021-23376 refers to an Arbitrary Command Injection vulnerability in ffmpegdotjs, enabling threat actors to execute arbitrary commands via user-controlled input, posing a significant security risk.

The Impact of CVE-2021-23376

With a CVSS base score of 9.8 (Critical Severity), this vulnerability has a high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. An attacker can exploit it remotely without requiring any privileges, increasing the severity of potential attacks.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-23376

Let's explore the vulnerability description, affected systems, versions, and exploitation mechanism in detail.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw arises due to inadequate input validation in the trimvideo function, paving the way for arbitrary command execution through the child_process exec function.

Affected Systems and Versions

All versions of ffmpegdotjs are impacted by this vulnerability, emphasizing the need for immediate action to secure systems leveraging this package.

Exploitation Mechanism

By injecting malicious commands via the trimvideo function, threat actors can manipulate the execution flow and potentially compromise the target system.

Mitigation and Prevention

To safeguard systems from CVE-2021-23376, implement the following security measures and best practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update ffmpegdotjs to the latest secure version promptly.
Avoid passing user-controlled data directly to functions that execute commands.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct regular security assessments and code reviews to identify similar vulnerabilities.
Educate developers on secure coding practices to prevent command injection vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security patches and updates for ffmpegdotjs to address known vulnerabilities promptly.