CVE-2021-22848 – CVE-2021-22848 is a SQL injection vulnerability... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2021-22848?

CVE-2021-22848 has a CVSS score of 7.0 (HIGH). CVE-2021-22848 is a SQL injection vulnerability in HGiga MailSherlock email security appliances. Attackers can inject malicious SQL commands through URL parameters without authentication, potentially accessing or manipulating database contents. Organizations using vulnerable HGiga MailSherlock versions are affected.

📋 TL;DR

CVE-2021-22848 is a SQL injection vulnerability in HGiga MailSherlock email security appliances. Attackers can inject malicious SQL commands through URL parameters without authentication, potentially accessing or manipulating database contents. Organizations using vulnerable HGiga MailSherlock versions are affected.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

HGiga MailSherlock

Versions: Specific versions not detailed in references; all unpatched versions likely affected.

Operating Systems: Appliance-based (likely Linux-based)

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Vulnerability exists in email page URL parameters; default configurations appear vulnerable.

📦 What is this software?

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Complete database compromise leading to data exfiltration, authentication bypass, or full system takeover.

🟠

Likely Case

Unauthorized data access, email content exposure, and potential privilege escalation.

🟢

If Mitigated

Limited impact with proper input validation and WAF protection in place.

🌐 Internet-Facing: HIGH - Exploitable via URL parameters without authentication.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Still exploitable by internal attackers or compromised accounts.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: LIKELY

Unauthenticated Exploit: ⚠️ Yes

Complexity: LOW

SQL injection via URL parameters is well-understood; exploitation tools likely exist.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Not specified in references; contact HGiga for patched version.

Vendor Advisory: https://www.twcert.org.tw/tw/cp-132-4521-a4fd8-1.html

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Contact HGiga support for patched version. 2. Apply patch following vendor instructions. 3. Restart MailSherlock services. 4. Verify fix implementation.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Web Application Firewall (WAF)

all

Deploy WAF with SQL injection rules to block malicious requests.

Input Validation

all

Implement strict input validation on URL parameters to reject SQL syntax.

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Isolate MailSherlock appliance behind firewall with restricted access.
Monitor logs for SQL injection attempts and unusual database queries.

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Test URL parameters for SQL injection using safe testing methods or contact HGiga.

Check Version:

Check appliance web interface or use vendor-specific CLI commands.

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify patch installation via vendor-provided method and retest vulnerability.

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Unusual SQL queries in application logs
Multiple failed login attempts via URL parameters

Network Indicators:

HTTP requests with SQL keywords in URL parameters
Unexpected database connection patterns

SIEM Query:

source="mailshlock_logs" AND (url="*SELECT*" OR url="*UNION*" OR url="*OR 1=1*")

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2021-22848

CVSS v3 Score: 7.0 (HIGH)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:L

CWE: CWE-89

Published: March 18, 2021

Last Updated: November 21, 2024

🔗 References

https://www.twcert.org.tw/tw/cp-132-4521-a4fd8-1.html Third Party Advisory
https://www.twcert.org.tw/tw/cp-132-4521-a4fd8-1.html Third Party Advisory

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🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

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