CVE-2021-43834 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

eLabFTW is an electronic lab notebook manager for research teams with a critical vulnerability in versions prior to 4.2.0 that allows unauthorized authentication as an existing user created through LDAP or SAML.

Understanding CVE-2021-43834

In this CVE, an incorrect authentication issue in eLabFTW can be exploited to impersonate existing users in environments where LDAP or SAML authentication is used.

What is CVE-2021-43834?

The CVE-2021-43834 vulnerability in eLabFTW allows a potential attacker to authenticate as a legitimate user by taking advantage of the single sign-on authentication flaw.

The Impact of CVE-2021-43834

The vulnerability has a Critical base severity with a CVSS base score of 9.1, impacting confidentiality and integrity, particularly in environments using LDAP or SAML for authentication.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-43834

The technical aspects of the vulnerability provide deeper insights into the affected systems, exploitation mechanisms, and how to mitigate the issue.

Vulnerability Description

CWE-287: Improper Authentication allows unauthorized access to eLabFTW instances prior to version 4.2.0.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: eLabFTW
Vendor: eLabFTW
Versions Affected: < 4.2.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged

Mitigation and Prevention

To ensure the security of eLabFTW instances, immediate steps and long-term security practices are advised.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade eLabFTW to at least version 4.2.0 to mitigate the authentication vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement multi-factor authentication to enhance security.
Regularly review and update authentication mechanisms and configurations.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories and promptly apply patches and updates provided by eLabFTW.