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CVE-2021-3642: Medium Vulnerability in Red Hat Wildfly Elytron

A medium-severity vulnerability found in Red Hat Wildfly Elytron could expose sensitive information due to a timing attack. Organizations using affected versions should patch immediately to mitigate risks.

MEDIUMCVSS 5.3 · Published August 5, 2021

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A flaw was found in Wildfly Elytron in versions prior to 1.10.14.Final, prior to 1.15.5.Final, and prior to 1.16.1.Final where ScramServer may be susceptible to Timing Attack if enabled. The highest threat of this vulnerability is confidentiality. With a CVSS score of 5.3, this vulnerability poses a medium severity risk that organizations must address. The potential for confidential data exposure makes timely remediation essential.

Risk to organizations includes unauthorized access to sensitive information due to the timing attack vulnerability. The flaw’s exploitability is assessed as medium, indicating that while it may not be trivial to exploit, an attacker with low privileges could potentially gain access to confidential data. Organizations should prioritize patching immediately.

As of now, there are no confirmed public exploits available for this vulnerability, but the potential risks warrant immediate attention. Organizations relying on the affected versions of Wildfly Elytron should take proactive measures to secure their systems.

Defenders should act swiftly to mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability by applying the recommended patches or updates provided by Red Hat.

Vulnerability Details

The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-3642 affects Red Hat Wildfly Elytron, specifically versions prior to 1.10.14.Final, 1.15.5.Final, and 1.16.1.Final. It allows potential timing attacks on ScramServer, significantly impacting confidentiality. The CVSS score of 5.3 classifies it as medium severity, emphasizing the need for swift remediation.

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-203, related to exposure of sensitive information. Organizations using affected versions are at risk of confidential data exposure, necessitating immediate patching.

Technical Analysis

Root cause analysis indicates that the flaw lies in the ScramServer implementation within Wildfly Elytron. The attack vector is network-based, requiring an attacker to have low privileges and no user interaction. The complexity of the attack is high, meaning that while it is not trivial to exploit, it is feasible under certain conditions. The potential impacts on confidentiality are significant, while integrity and availability are unaffected.

Risk & Impact Analysis

The real-world risk associated with CVE-2021-3642 is substantial. Organizations utilizing vulnerable versions of Wildfly Elytron may face severe confidentiality breaches, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information. The potential blast radius includes any system leveraging the affected versions, increasing the urgency for remediation.

Given the CVSS score of 5.3 and the lack of active exploitation in the KEV database, organizations should still consider this vulnerability a priority due to its implications for data confidentiality. Organizations should address the patching of these vulnerabilities in their priority patch cycle.

Exploitation Status

Signal

Status

Known Exploit

No

Public PoC

No

Actively Exploited

No

Ransomware Use

No

Affected Versions

The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Wildfly Elytron, specifically versions prior to 1.10.14, 1.15.5, and 1.16.1. Additionally, the vulnerability extends to various Red Hat products including build_of_quarkus, codeready_studio, data_grid, descision_manager, integration_camel_k, integration_camel_quarkus, jboss_enterprise_application_platform, jboss_enterprise_application_platform_expansion_pack, jboss_fuse, openshift_application_runtimes, process_automation, and quarkus.

Mitigation & Remediation

Organizations should immediately update to the latest versions of Wildfly Elytron to mitigate this vulnerability. If patches are not available, consider implementing configuration hardening measures to limit exposure. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing can help identify similar vulnerabilities in the future. For more comprehensive security measures, organizations should consider engaging in penetration testing to ensure systems are secure.

Detection Guidance

Organizations should monitor logs for unusual access patterns or anomalies that could indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability. Behavioral anomalies related to ScramServer interactions should be flagged for further investigation.

AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight

The long-term significance of CVE-2021-3642 lies in its potential to expose sensitive information via timing attacks. This highlights a growing trend in vulnerabilities related to timing attacks, which security teams must address proactively. Organizations should implement lessons learned from this vulnerability to bolster their security posture, ensuring that such vulnerabilities are identified and mitigated during the software development lifecycle.

For further reading on vulnerability management, consider exploring our resources on vulnerability management programs and the importance of penetration testing methodologies to enhance security measures.

Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.

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