CVE-2021-44681 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Learn about CVE-2021-44681, a critical vulnerability in Veritas Enterprise Vault through 14.1.2, allowing remote attackers to exploit .NET Remoting TCP ports, leading to high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
An issue (5 of 6) was discovered in Veritas Enterprise Vault through 14.1.2. This vulnerability allows malicious attackers to exploit TCP remoting services and local IPC services on the Enterprise Vault Server.
Understanding CVE-2021-44681
This CVE details a critical vulnerability in Veritas Enterprise Vault that can lead to a high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of systems.
What is CVE-2021-44681?
The issue in Veritas Enterprise Vault allows attackers to exploit .NET Remoting TCP ports during application start-up, leveraging inherent deserialization flaws. This can be abused through TCP remoting services and local IPC services on the server.
The Impact of CVE-2021-44681
The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 9.8 (Critical) with high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. A malicious actor can execute remote attacks without user interaction, resulting in severe consequences.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-44681
This section provides insight into the technical aspects of the CVE.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability stems from improper handling of deserialization in .NET Remoting TCP ports on Veritas Enterprise Vault, enabling attackers to exploit these services easily.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: Veritas Enterprise Vault
- Versions affected: through 14.1.2
Exploitation Mechanism
- During application start-up, multiple services on random .NET Remoting TCP ports are activated, creating an opportunity for attackers to exploit deserialization vulnerabilities.
Mitigation and Prevention
Protecting against CVE-2021-44681 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply vendor-recommended server and firewall configurations as per VTS21-003 and ZDI-CAN-14080 security alerts.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update and patch Veritas Enterprise Vault
- Implement network segmentation and access controls
Patching and Updates
Stay informed about security updates from Veritas and apply patches promptly to mitigate the vulnerability.