Incorrectly handling of URI '#fragment' element as part of the path element
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-863.
Summary
Envoy is an open source L7 proxy and communication bus designed for large modern service oriented architectures. In affected versions envoy incorrectly handled a URI '#fragment' element as part of the path element. Envoy is configured with an RBAC filter for authorization or similar mechanism with an explicit case of a final "/admin" path element, or is using a negative assertion with final path element of "/admin". The client sends request to "/app1/admin#foo". In Envoy prior to 1.18.0, or 1.18.0+ configured with path_normalization=false. Envoy treats fragment as a suffix of the query string when present, or as a suffix of the path when query string is absent, so it evaluates the final path element as "/admin#foo" and mismatches with the configured "/admin" path element. In Envoy 1.18.0+ configured with path_normalization=true. Envoy transforms this to /app1/admin%23foo and mismatches with the configured /admin prefix. The resulting URI is sent to the next server-agent with the offending "#foo" fragment which violates RFC3986 or with the nonsensical "%23foo" text appended. A specifically constructed request with URI containing '#fragment' element delivered by an untrusted client in the presence of path based request authorization resulting in escalation of Privileges when path based request authorization extensions. Envoy versions 1.19.1, 1.18.4, 1.17.4, 1.16.5 contain fixes that removes fragment from URI path in incoming requests.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| envoyproxy | envoy | 1.19.0 to before 1.19.1; 1.18.0 to before 1.18.4; 1.17.0 to before 1.17.4; 1.16.0 to before 1.16.5 | 1.19.1, 1.18.4, 1.17.4, 1.16.5 | Patch available | CNA |
- envoy Vendorenvoyproxy Affected 1.19.0 to before 1.19.1; 1.18.0 to before 1.18.4; 1.17.0 to before 1.17.4; 1.16.0 to before 1.16.5 Fixed in 1.19.1, 1.18.4, 1.17.4, 1.16.5 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 2
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:envoyproxy:envoy:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.16.0 to before 1.16.5; 1.17.0 to before 1.17.4; 1.18.0 to before 1.18.4 | Vulnerable | envoyproxy |
| cpe:2.3:a:envoyproxy:envoy:1.19.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.19.0 | Vulnerable | envoyproxy |
- cpe:2.3:a:envoyproxy:envoy:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.16.0 to before 1.16.5; 1.17.0 to before 1.17.4; 1.18.0 to before 1.18.4 Vulnerable ·envoyproxy
- cpe:2.3:a:envoyproxy:envoy:1.19.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.19.0 Vulnerable ·envoyproxy
Remediation
- Fix · CNA envoy (envoyproxy) Fixed in 1.19.1, 1.18.4, 1.17.4, 1.16.5
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2021:3272 Released 2021-08-25 · Red Hat rating ImportantRed Hat OpenShift Service Mesh 2.0.7.1 security update
- OpenShift Service Mesh 2.0 servicemesh-2.0.7-3.el8, servicemesh-istioctl-2.0.7-3.el8, servicemesh-mixc-2.0.7-3.el8 +4
- RHSA-2021:3273 Released 2021-08-25 · Red Hat rating ImportantRed Hat OpenShift Service Mesh 1.1.17.1 security update
- OpenShift Service Mesh 1.1 servicemesh-1.1.17-3.el8, servicemesh-citadel-1.1.17-3.el8, servicemesh-galley-1.1.17-3.el8 +7
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| OpenShift Service Mesh 1.1 | Fixed | RHSA-2021:3273 |
| OpenShift Service Mesh 2.0 | Fixed | RHSA-2021:3272 |
Not affected: 2 products
- OpenShift Service Mesh 1.1
- OpenShift Service Mesh 2.0
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-32779
References
More envoyproxy Envoy vulnerabilities
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- TI-2023-12215 Envoy client may fake the header `x-envoy-original-path` CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.1
- TI-2023-18002 Envoy vulnerable to OAuth2 credentials exploit with permanent validity CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
Sources
- CVE-2021-32779 · CVE Program
- CVE-2021-32779 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- CVE-2021-32779 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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