CVE-2021-32659
Published: 16 June 2021
Summary
CVE-2021-32659 is a medium-severity Missing Authentication for Critical Function (CWE-306) vulnerability in Matrix Matrix-Appservice-Bridge. Its CVSS base score is 6.5 (Medium).
Operationally, ranked in the top 49.4% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2021-1248
Vulnerability details
Matrix-appservice-bridge is the bridging service for the Matrix communication program's application services. In versions 2.6.0 and earlier, if a bridge has room upgrade handling turned on in the configuration (the `roomUpgradeOpts` key when instantiating a new `Bridge` instance.), any `m.room.tombstone`…
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event it encounters will be used to unbridge the current room and bridge into the target room. However, the target room `m.room.create` event is not checked to verify if the `predecessor` field contains the previous room. This means that any malicious admin of a bridged room can repoint the traffic to a different room without the new room being aware. Versions 2.6.1 and greater are patched. As a workaround, disabling the automatic room upgrade handling can be done by removing the `roomUpgradeOpts` key from the `Bridge` class options.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Requires established identification and authentication to unlock, mitigating missing authentication for continued system access.
Requiring identification and rationale for actions allowed without authentication ensures critical functions are not left unprotected by forcing review of authentication requirements.
Authorizing mobile device connections to organizational systems ensures authentication is performed for this critical access function.
Guarantees critical functions are protected by mandatory invocation of the access control mechanism.
Auditing sessions makes it possible to detect access to critical functions without required authentication.
The assessment process confirms authentication is present and effective for critical functions, preventing exploitation from missing authentication.
Certification assesses that critical functions have required authentication controls in place.
Disabling non-essential functions and services eliminates the need to secure them, reducing exposure from missing authentication on unnecessary components.