CVE-2021-45898
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to include local files on the server through SuiteCRM, potentially leading to sensitive information disclosure or remote code execution. It affects SuiteCRM installations before version 7.12.3 and 8.x before 8.0.2. Both internet-facing and internal systems running vulnerable versions are at risk.
💻 Affected Systems
- SuiteCRM
📦 What is this software?
Suitecrm by Salesagility
Suitecrm by Salesagility
Suitecrm by Salesagility
Suitecrm by Salesagility
Suitecrm by Salesagility
Suitecrm by Salesagility
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete system compromise, data theft, and lateral movement within the network.
Likely Case
Sensitive file disclosure including configuration files, database credentials, and user data.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper file permissions and web server hardening, though information disclosure may still occur.
🎯 Exploit Status
Local file inclusion vulnerabilities are typically easy to exploit with publicly available techniques. The high CVSS score suggests low attack complexity.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: SuiteCRM 7.12.3 or 8.0.2 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://docs.suitecrm.com/admin/releases/7.12.x/ and https://docs.suitecrm.com/8.x/admin/releases/8.0/
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Backup your SuiteCRM installation and database. 2. Download the patched version from SuiteCRM's official website. 3. Follow the SuiteCRM upgrade documentation for your version. 4. Verify the upgrade completed successfully.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Web Server File Restriction
allConfigure web server to restrict access to sensitive directories and files
# For Apache: Add to .htaccess
<FilesMatch "\.(php|inc|conf|sql)$">
Order Deny,Allow
Deny from all
</FilesMatch>
# For Nginx: Add to server block
location ~ /\.(php|inc|conf|sql)$ {
deny all;
}
Application Firewall Rules
allImplement WAF rules to block local file inclusion patterns
# Example ModSecurity rule
SecRule ARGS "\.\./" "id:1001,phase:2,deny,msg:'Local File Inclusion Attempt'
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict file permissions on sensitive directories (config/, cache/, upload/)
- Deploy web application firewall with LFI protection rules
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check SuiteCRM version in admin panel or by examining the application files. Vulnerable if version is below 7.12.3 or 8.0.2.Check Version:
Check config.php or version.php in SuiteCRM root directory, or visit Admin > System Settings in web interfaceVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm version is 7.12.3 or higher for 7.x branch, or 8.0.2 or higher for 8.x branch. Test with controlled LFI payloads if possible.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- HTTP requests containing '../' or similar path traversal patterns
- Access to sensitive files like /etc/passwd, config.php, or .env files
- Unusual file access patterns from web application
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests with file inclusion parameters (file=, page=, include=) containing path traversal
SIEM Query:
source="web_access.log" AND ("../" OR "..\" OR "/etc/passwd" OR "config.php")