CVE-2021-43515 : What You Need to Know

CSV Injection (aka Excel Macro Injection or Formula Injection) vulnerability exists in creating new timesheets in Kimai, allowing attackers to execute malicious code when exporting to a CSV file.

Understanding CVE-2021-43515

What is CVE-2021-43515?

CSV Injection vulnerability in Kimai enables attackers to insert malicious code into the Description field, leading to code execution during CSV export.

The Impact of CVE-2021-43515

CSV Injection can result in unauthorized code execution, data theft, or system compromise, posing a significant risk to user data and system integrity.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-43515

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious code via the Description field, which gets executed when exporting timesheets to CSV, leading to potential data compromise.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Kimai
Version: All versions are affected

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers input malicious payload into the Description field in a new timesheet.
The payload gets executed when the timesheet is exported to a CSV file.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Avoid inputting untrusted data into the Description field.
Regularly update Kimai to the latest patched version.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement input validation to sanitize user inputs.
Educate users about the risks of CSV Injection and the importance of data hygiene.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by Kimai promptly to mitigate the vulnerability.