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CVE-2021-44228: Apache Log4j2 Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2021-44228 is rated critical with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 10.0 and affects Apache Log4j2, along with 142 other products in NVD’s configuration data. Per its scoring, it can be exploited over the network, without authentication, without any user interaction. The scored impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability is the highest available. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2021-12-10, which means exploitation in the wild has been observed.

Vulnerability description

Apache Log4j2 2.0-beta9 through 2.15.0 (excluding security releases 2.12.2, 2.12.3, and 2.3.1) JNDI features used in configuration, log messages, and parameters do not protect against attacker controlled LDAP and other JNDI related endpoints. An attacker who can control log messages or log message parameters can execute arbitrary code loaded from LDAP servers when message lookup substitution is enabled. From log4j 2.15.0, this behavior has been disabled by default. From version 2.16.0 (along with 2.12.2, 2.12.3, and 2.3.1), this functionality has been completely removed. Note that this vulnerability is specific to log4j-core and does not affect log4net, log4cxx, or other Apache Logging Services projects.

Severity breakdown

CVSS v3.1 10.0: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack vector: Network. Exploitable remotely over the network, with no need for local or physical access.
Attack complexity: Low. No special conditions; the attack can be repeated reliably.
Privileges required: None. No account or prior access is needed.
User interaction: None. No action from any user is needed.
Scope: Changed. Impact reaches beyond the vulnerable component to other resources.
Confidentiality impact: High. Total loss of confidentiality; sensitive data can be fully disclosed.
Integrity impact: High. Total loss of integrity; data or system state can be fully modified.
Availability impact: High. Total loss of availability; the component can be shut down.

Underlying weakness

CWE-20: Improper Input Validation

The product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly.

CWE-400: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption

The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.

CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data

The product deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently ensuring that the resulting data will be valid.

Affected products

Apache Log4j: from 2.0.1 before 2.3.1; from 2.4.0 before 2.12.2; from 2.13.0 before 2.15.0; 2.0; 2.0 beta9; 2.0 rc1; 2.0 rc2
Siemens 6bk1602 0aa12 0tp0 Firmware: before 2.7.0
Siemens 6bk1602 0aa22 0tp0 Firmware: before 2.7.0
Siemens 6bk1602 0aa32 0tp0 Firmware: before 2.7.0
Siemens 6bk1602 0aa42 0tp0 Firmware: before 2.7.0
Siemens 6bk1602 0aa52 0tp0 Firmware: before 2.7.0
Siemens Sppa T3000 Ses3000 Firmware: all versions listed by NVD
Siemens Capital: before 2019.1; 2019.1; 2019.1 sp1912
Siemens Comos: before 10.4.2
Siemens Desigo Cc Advanced Reports: 3.0; 4.0; 4.1; 4.2; 5.0; 5.1
Siemens Desigo Cc Info Center: 5.0; 5.1
Siemens E Car Operation Center: before 2021-12-13
Siemens Energy Engage: 3.1
Siemens Energyip: 8.5; 8.6; 8.7; 9.0
Siemens Energyip Prepay: before 3.8.0.12