CVE-2021-4164 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A detailed overview of the Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in janeczku/calibre-web.

Understanding CVE-2021-4164

This CVE involves a CSRF vulnerability in the calibre-web software, impacting versions prior to 0.6.15.

What is CVE-2021-4164?

calibre-web, specifically janeczku/calibre-web, is susceptible to Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks. This can lead to unauthorized commands being executed on behalf of an authenticated user.

The Impact of CVE-2021-4164

With a CVSS base score of 7.6, this vulnerability has a high severity rating. An attacker can exploit this issue to manipulate user sessions, potentially leading to data loss or unauthorized actions within the application.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-4164

In this section, we delve into the specifics of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The CSRF vulnerability in calibre-web allows attackers to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users, posing a significant security risk.

Affected Systems and Versions

Versions of janeczku/calibre-web prior to 0.6.15 are impacted by this CVE, making it crucial for users to update to a secure version immediately.

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploiting this vulnerability requires tricking a user into clicking a malicious link or visiting a specially crafted website, allowing the attacker to perform unwanted actions on the user's behalf.

Mitigation and Prevention

Here's how you can mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2021-4164.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update their calibre-web installations to version 0.6.15 or higher to prevent exploitation of this CSRF vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing strong authentication mechanisms and regularly monitoring for CSRF attacks can enhance the overall security posture.

Patching and Updates

Staying proactive with software updates and security patches is crucial in safeguarding systems against known vulnerabilities like CVE-2021-4164.