CVE-2021-39192 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

Ghost is a Node.js content management system that had a privilege escalation vulnerability between versions 4.0.0 and 4.9.4. This vulnerability allowed all authenticated users to view admin-level API keys, leading to potential privilege escalation. The issue has been patched in version 4.10.0.

Understanding CVE-2021-39192

This section provides an overview of the vulnerability.

What is CVE-2021-39192?

CVE-2021-39192 is a privilege escalation vulnerability in Ghost versions 4.0.0 through 4.9.4. It allowed authenticated users to access admin-level API keys, potentially leading to privilege escalation.

The Impact of CVE-2021-39192

The vulnerability has the following impact:

CVSS Base Score: 6.5 (Medium)
Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: High
Confidentiality Impact: High
Integrity Impact: High
Availability Impact: None

Technical Details of CVE-2021-39192

This section delves into the technical aspects of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allowed all authenticated users to view admin-level API keys through the integrations API endpoint, potentially escalating their privileges.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Product: Ghost
Vendor: TryGhost
Affected Versions: >= 4.0.0, < 4.10.0

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability enabled authenticated users to exploit an error in the limits service, granting them unauthorized access to admin-level API keys.

Mitigation and Prevention

Learn how to address the CVE-2021-39192 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

To mitigate the vulnerability immediately:

Disable all non-Administrator accounts to prevent API access.
Regenerate all API keys after applying the workaround.

Long-Term Security Practices

To enhance long-term security:

Regularly review and update user access privileges.
Educate users on the importance of API key security.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that all systems are updated to version 4.10.0 to patch the vulnerability.