CVE-2021-41088 : Security Advisory and Response

Elvish is a programming language and interactive shell package that experienced a remote code execution vulnerability via its web UI backend before version 0.14.0. This vulnerability allowed for the execution of arbitrary code sent from malicious websites to the endpoint in localhost.

Understanding CVE-2021-41088

In this section, you will gain insights into the nature of the CVE-2021-41088 vulnerability.

What is CVE-2021-41088?

Elvish, a programming language with an interactive shell, had a vulnerability in versions before 0.14.0 that enabled remote code execution through its web UI backend. The issue stemmed from the backend not properly verifying the origin of requests, permitting arbitrary code execution.

The Impact of CVE-2021-41088

The severity of CVE-2021-41088 is rated as high, requiring low privileges, and user interaction to exploit. The confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected systems are all at risk.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-41088

In this section, you will delve into the technical aspects of CVE-2021-41088.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Elvish versions prior to 0.14.0 allowed malicious websites to send code to the web UI backend endpoint, leading to remote code execution due to inadequate request origin validation.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Elvish
Vendor: Elves
Versions Affected: < 0.14.0

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability could be exploited by a user visiting a compromised or malicious website while having the web UI backend open, enabling the website to execute arbitrary code on the localhost.

Mitigation and Prevention

Learn how to protect your systems against CVE-2021-41088

Immediate Steps to Take

Users of Elvish versions prior to 0.14.0 should remove the web UI component to mitigate the vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update to the latest version of Elvish to ensure the absence of the web UI backend.

Patching and Updates

Patching the vulnerability involves removing the web UI component found in specific directories depending on the version.