CVE-2021-44420 : What You Need to Know

Django 2.2 before 2.2.25, 3.1 before 3.1.14, and 3.2 before 3.2.10 allows HTTP requests for URLs with trailing newlines, which could circumvent upstream access control based on URL paths.

Understanding CVE-2021-44420

In Django versions mentioned, a security vulnerability allows a bypass of access control mechanisms when processing URLs with trailing newlines.

What is CVE-2021-44420?

The CVE-2021-44420 vulnerability in Django versions could enable attackers to evade access control restrictions by manipulating URLs with line breaks at the end.

The Impact of CVE-2021-44420

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data or functionalities due to improper access control enforcement.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-44420

The technical aspects of the CVE-2021-44420 vulnerability are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

Affected versions: Django 2.2 before 2.2.25, 3.1 before 3.1.14, and 3.2 before 3.2.10
Issue: HTTP requests to URLs with trailing newlines bypass upstream access control

Affected Systems and Versions

Django 2.2 versions prior to 2.2.25
Django 3.1 versions before 3.1.14
Django 3.2 versions prior to 3.2.10

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting HTTP requests with URLs containing newline characters at the end, thus evading access controls.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2021-44420, consider the following mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Django to versions 2.2.25, 3.1.14, or 3.2.10 that include fixes for the vulnerability
Review and adjust access control mechanisms to account for the issue

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and patch software for known vulnerabilities
Conduct security assessments to identify and remediate potential security gaps

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by Django promptly to mitigate the risk of exploitation