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Zstack CVE-2021-32829

CRITICAL
Code Injection (CWE-94)
2021-08-17 security-advisories@github.com
9.9
CVSS 3.1 · NVD
View

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization Code injection prevention, sandbox exec
MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques across 2 tactics: Execution, Initial Access

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Impact

CVSS score of 9.9 (CRITICAL). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction not required. Public proof-of-concept exploit code is available.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A remote attacker could inject and execute arbitrary code within the application by sending crafted requests to the affected application.

Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Why: CRITICAL severity + public POC available.
No patch listed yet 2.9% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

ZStack is open source IaaS(infrastructure as a service) software aiming to automate datacenters, managing resources of compute, storage, and networking all by APIs. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.9), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.

RemediationAI

No vendor patch is available at time of analysis. Monitor vendor advisories for updates. Never evaluate user-controlled input as code. Use sandboxing, disable dangerous functions, apply strict input validation.

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified as Code Injection (CWE-94), which allows attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code within the application. ZStack is open source IaaS(infrastructure as a service) software aiming to automate datacenters, managing resources of compute, storage, and networking all by APIs. Affected versions of ZStack REST API are vulnerable to post-authentication Remote Code Execution (RCE) via bypass of the Groovy shell sandbox. The REST API exposes the GET zstack/v1/batch-queries?script endpoint which is backed up by the BatchQueryAction class. Messages are represented by the APIBatchQueryMsg, dispatched to the QueryFacadeImpl facade and handled by the BatchQuery class. The HTTP request parameter script is mapped to the APIBatchQueryMsg.script property and evaluated as a Groovy script in BatchQuery.query the evaluation of the user-controlled Groovy script is sandboxed by SandboxTransformer which will apply the restrictions defined in the registered (sandbox.register()) GroovyInterceptor. Even though the sandbox heavily restricts the receiver types to a small set of allowed types, the sandbox is non effective at controlling any code placed in Java annotations and therefore vulnerable to meta-programming escapes. This issue leads to post-authenticated remote code execution. For more details see the referenced GHSL-2021-065. This issue is patched in versions 3.8.21, 3.10.8, and 4.1.0. Affected products include: Zstack Rest Api.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 9.9 CRITICAL
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

DescriptionNVD

ZStack is open source IaaS(infrastructure as a service) software aiming to automate datacenters, managing resources of compute, storage, and networking all by APIs. Affected versions of ZStack REST API are vulnerable to post-authentication Remote Code Execution (RCE) via bypass of the Groovy shell sandbox. The REST API exposes the GET zstack/v1/batch-queries?script endpoint which is backed up by the BatchQueryAction class. Messages are represented by the APIBatchQueryMsg, dispatched to the QueryFacadeImpl facade and handled by the BatchQuery class. The HTTP request parameter script is mapped to the APIBatchQueryMsg.script property and evaluated as a Groovy script in BatchQuery.query the evaluation of the user-controlled Groovy script is sandboxed by SandboxTransformer which will apply the restrictions defined in the registered (sandbox.register()) GroovyInterceptor. Even though the sandbox heavily restricts the receiver types to a small set of allowed types, the sandbox is non effective at controlling any code placed in Java annotations and therefore vulnerable to meta-programming escapes. This issue leads to post-authenticated remote code execution. For more details see the referenced GHSL-2021-065. This issue is patched in versions 3.8.21, 3.10.8, and 4.1.0.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
2.9%
Top 15% exploitable
Exploit
POC
Public exploit code exists
Data Quality
3 sources
Confidence: Low

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity CRITICAL
CISA KEV No
Public POC Yes
EPSS 2.9%
Patch available No
Active threat No
Deciding rule
CRITICAL severity + public POC available
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
Poc
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

73
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +3
CVSS: +50
PoC: +20
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Code Injection CRITICAL

Code injection occurs when an application accepts user input and passes it directly into a language interpreter or evaluator without proper sanitization.

Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.

Affected Products (CPE)NVD

cpe:2.3:a:zstack:rest_api:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:zstack:rest_api:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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