CVE-2021-21024
📋 TL;DR
This is a blind SQL injection vulnerability in Magento's Search module that allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL queries. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to restricted resources, though access to the admin console is required for full exploitation. Affected systems include Magento 2.4.1 and earlier, 2.4.0-p1 and earlier, and 2.3.6 and earlier.
💻 Affected Systems
- Adobe Magento Commerce
- Adobe Magento Open Source
📦 What is this software?
Magento by Magento
Magento by Magento
Magento by Magento
Magento by Magento
Magento by Magento
Magento by Magento
Magento by Magento
Magento by Magento
Magento by Magento
Magento by Magento
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete database compromise leading to data theft, privilege escalation, and potential remote code execution through database functions.
Likely Case
Unauthorized access to sensitive customer data, order information, and administrative credentials stored in the database.
If Mitigated
Limited impact due to proper input validation, parameterized queries, and database permission restrictions.
🎯 Exploit Status
Blind SQL injection requires time-based or boolean-based techniques, making exploitation more complex than traditional SQLi.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Magento 2.4.2, 2.4.1-p1, 2.3.7
Vendor Advisory: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/magento/apsb21-08.html
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Backup your Magento installation and database. 2. Update to Magento 2.4.2, 2.4.1-p1, or 2.3.7. 3. Apply patches via composer: composer require magento/product-community-edition=2.4.2. 4. Run setup upgrade: php bin/magento setup:upgrade. 5. Clear cache: php bin/magento cache:clean.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input Validation for Search Parameters
allImplement strict input validation and sanitization for all search parameters before processing.
Implement parameterized queries in search module code
Add input validation filters for search terms
Web Application Firewall Rules
allDeploy WAF rules to block SQL injection patterns in search requests.
ModSecurity rule: SecRule ARGS "@detectSQLi" "id:1001,phase:2,deny"
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict input validation and parameterized queries in the Search module
- Restrict admin console access to trusted IP addresses only
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Magento version via admin panel or by examining app/etc/env.php file for version information.Check Version:
php bin/magento --versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Magento version is 2.4.2, 2.4.1-p1, or 2.3.7 or later. Test search functionality with SQL injection payloads to confirm they are blocked.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual SQL queries in database logs
- Multiple failed search attempts with special characters
- Long response times for search requests (indicating time-based SQLi)
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests containing SQL keywords in search parameters
- Unusual patterns in search API calls
SIEM Query:
source="web_logs" AND (url="*search*" AND (param="*UNION*" OR param="*SELECT*" OR param="*SLEEP*" OR param="*WAITFOR*"))