CVE-2021-42561 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

An issue in CALDERA 2.8.1 allows attackers to execute arbitrary shell commands via the Human plugin.

Understanding CVE-2021-42561

What is CVE-2021-42561?

CVE-2021-42561 is a vulnerability in CALDERA 2.8.1 that enables attackers to exploit a command injection flaw using shell metacharacters.

The Impact of CVE-2021-42561

The vulnerability allows attackers to escape the current command and run unauthorized shell commands, posing a significant security risk.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-42561

Vulnerability Description

When the Human plugin in CALDERA 2.8.1 is activated, it passes unsanitized parameters to an 'os.system' function, enabling shell command execution.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: CALDERA 2.8.1
Vendor: N/A
Versions: N/A

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can use shell metacharacters like backticks (``) or dollar parenthesis ($()) to inject and execute malicious shell commands.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable or restrict access to the affected Human plugin in CALDERA.
Implement input sanitization to filter out malicious characters.
Regularly monitor and analyze system logs for any suspicious activities.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct security audits and code reviews to identify and remediate vulnerabilities.
Provide security training to developers and users on secure coding practices and avoiding command injections.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by CALDERA promptly to address this vulnerability.