CVE-2021-42851 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability in certain Lenovo Personal Cloud Storage devices could allow an unauthorized user to create a standard account.

Understanding CVE-2021-42851

What is CVE-2021-42851?

The vulnerability in some Lenovo Personal Cloud Storage devices permits an unauthenticated user to establish a standard user account.

The Impact of CVE-2021-42851

The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 6.3, indicating a medium severity level. It requires no user interaction and has low impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-42851

Vulnerability Description

The CVE-2021-42851 vulnerability involves missing authorization, allowing unauthorized users to create standard accounts.

Affected Systems and Versions

Lenovo Personal Cloud Storage A1 versions less than 5.3.6.a1
Lenovo Personal Cloud Storage T1 versions less than 5.3.6.t1
Lenovo Personal Cloud Storage X1 versions less than 5.3.8.x1
Lenovo Personal Cloud Storage T2 versions less than 5.3.8.t2
Lenovo Personal Cloud Storage T2Pro versions less than 5.3.7.t2-pro

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by an unauthenticated user to create a standard user account, potentially leading to unauthorized access and misuse.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the Lenovo Personal Cloud Storage device firmware to versions specified in LEN-73439.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and apply security updates provided by Lenovo.
Enforce strong password policies and user authentication methods.

Patching and Updates

It is essential to update the firmware of affected Lenovo Personal Cloud Storage devices to the versions recommended in the LEN-73439 product table.