# CVE-2021-23281: Remote Code execution

> Unauthenticated attackers can execute arbitrary code on Eaton Intelligent Power Manager by sending crafted packets to trigger a connection to a rogue SNMP server.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 13 Apr 2021
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p6w4-xgmf-8r7g

## What is CVE-2021-23281?

CVE-2021-23281 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Eaton Intelligent Power manager (IPM), published on 13 Apr 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Eaton Intelligent Power Manager (IPM) prior to 1.69 is vulnerable to unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability. IPM software does not sanitize the date provided via coverterCheckList action in meta_driver_srv.js class. Attackers can send a specially crafted packet to make IPM connect to rouge SNMP server and execute attacker-controlled code.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-23281?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Eaton Intelligent Power Manager.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-23281?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-23281 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-23281 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-23281 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Eaton Intelligent Power manager (IPM)

- [CVE-2018-12031](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-12031/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-6651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6651/): Command injection via specially crafted file name during config file upload (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-23278](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23278/): Arbitrary File delete (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2021-23277](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23277/): Improper Neutralization of Directives in Dynamically Evaluated Code (high 8.3)
- [CVE-2021-23279](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23279/): Arbitrary File delete (high 8.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-23281 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-23281 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Eaton Intelligent Power manager (IPM), published on 13 Apr 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-23281 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Eaton Intelligent Power manager (IPM). No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23281/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23281/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-23281
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-23281
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-23281

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23281/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.