CVE-2021-32925 : What You Need to Know

admin/user_import.php in Chamilo 1.11.x reads XML data without disabling the ability to load external entities.

Understanding CVE-2021-32925

This CVE involves a vulnerability in Chamilo 1.11.x that allows the loading of external entities through XML data in admin/user_import.php.

What is CVE-2021-32925?

The CVE-2021-32925 vulnerability in Chamilo 1.11.x enables the loading of external entities via XML data in admin/user_import.php.

The Impact of CVE-2021-32925

This vulnerability can be exploited by an authenticated user to read sensitive data from the system, leading to unauthorized access or other malicious activities.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-32925

In the affected Chamilo version 1.11.x, the admin/user_import.php file does not disable the ability to load external entities, making it susceptible to XML External Entity (XXE) attacks.

Vulnerability Description

The issue allows an attacker to craft malicious XML data that can reference external entities, enabling them to read arbitrary files from the affected system.

Affected Systems and Versions

Chamilo 1.11.x is confirmed to be affected by this vulnerability, exposing systems running this specific version to the XXE attack vector.

Exploitation Mechanism

By exploiting this vulnerability, an authenticated attacker could upload specially crafted XML files through the user import feature to trigger the XXE behavior and access sensitive information.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2021-32925, users/administrators must take immediate and long-term security measures.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the security patch provided by Chamilo to address the XXE vulnerability.
Limit access to the user import functionality to trusted users to reduce the attack surface.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Chamilo to the latest version to ensure patches for known vulnerabilities are in place.
Implement proper input validation and sanitization techniques to prevent malicious XML data uploads.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories from Chamilo and promptly apply patches to secure the system against potential exploits.