CVE-2021-23820 : What You Need to Know

This CVE-2021-23820 article provides an overview of a prototype pollution vulnerability affecting all versions of the json-pointer package, highlighting its impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies.

Understanding CVE-2021-23820

CVE-2021-23820, also known as Prototype Pollution, was made public on November 3, 2021, and was discovered by Alessio Della Libera of the Snyk Research Team.

What is CVE-2021-23820?

The CVE-2021-23820 vulnerability impacts all versions of the json-pointer package. It involves a type confusion issue that can enable attackers to bypass CVE-2020-7709 when the pointer components are arrays.

The Impact of CVE-2021-23820

With a CVSS base score of 5.6, this vulnerability has a medium severity rating. It has a high attack complexity and network attack vector, but low impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. No privileges are required for exploitation, and user interaction is not necessary.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-23820

This section delves into the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in json-pointer allows for prototype pollution, enabling attackers to modify object prototypes and potentially lead to serious security issues.

Affected Systems and Versions

All versions of the json-pointer package are affected by this vulnerability, where the manipulation of pointer components that are arrays can trigger the exploit.

Exploitation Mechanism

By leveraging the type confusion vulnerability, threat actors can modify the structure of arrays within json-pointer to achieve bypass capabilities, circumventing certain security mechanisms.

Mitigation and Prevention

In this section, we explore the immediate steps to take, long-term security practices, and the importance of patching and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update the json-pointer package to a patched version, implement security best practices, and monitor for any anomalous behavior that could indicate exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

To enhance overall security posture, organizations should conduct regular security assessments, educate developers on secure coding practices, and maintain vigilance against evolving threats.

Patching and Updates

Regularly applying security patches and updates to the json-pointer package and other dependencies is crucial in mitigating the risk posed by CVE-2021-23820 and similar vulnerabilities.