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Apache Cassandra vulnerable to Code Injection due to unsafe configuration

Critical severity GitHub Reviewed Published Feb 12, 2022 to the GitHub Advisory Database • Updated Jan 30, 2023

Package

maven org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all (Maven)

Affected versions

< 3.0.26
>= 3.11.0, < 3.11.12
>= 4.0.0, < 4.0.2

Patched versions

3.0.26
3.11.12
4.0.2

Description

When running Apache Cassandra with the following configuration: enable_user_defined_functions: true enable_scripted_user_defined_functions: true enable_user_defined_functions_threads: false it is possible for an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the host. The attacker would need to have enough permissions to create user defined functions in the cluster to be able to exploit this. Note that this configuration is documented as unsafe, and will continue to be considered unsafe after this CVE.

References

Published by the National Vulnerability Database Feb 11, 2022
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Feb 12, 2022
Reviewed Feb 23, 2022
Last updated Jan 30, 2023

Severity

Critical

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
High
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS score

5.165%
(93rd percentile)

Weaknesses

CVE ID

CVE-2021-44521

GHSA ID

GHSA-8ffc-79xg-29w8

Source code

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