# CVE-2021-25994: Userfrosting - Host-Header Injection Leads to Account Takeover

> An attacker can hijack user accounts via Host Header Injection in the password reset flow by tricking users into clicking a malicious link.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 3 Jan 2022
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cv25-3gmg-c6m8

## What is CVE-2021-25994?

CVE-2021-25994 is a high-severity vulnerability in userfrosting, published on 3 Jan 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

In Userfrosting, versions v0.3.1 to v4.6.2 are vulnerable to Host Header Injection. By luring a victim application user to click on a link, an unauthenticated attacker can use the “forgot password” functionality to reset the victim’s password and successfully take over their account.

Weakness: CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-25994?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including userfrosting/userfrosting. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `userfrosting/userfrosting` | Packagist | From 0.3.1 | 4.6.3 |
| `userfrosting/userfrosting` | Packagist | From 0.3.1 | 4.6.3 |

Products: Userfrosting Userfrosting.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-25994?

Upgrade userfrosting/userfrosting to 4.6.3 or later.

## Is CVE-2021-25994 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-25994 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-25994 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-25994 is a high-severity vulnerability in userfrosting, published on 3 Jan 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-25994 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- userfrosting/userfrosting (Packagist): affected from 0.3.1; fixed in 4.6.3
- userfrosting/userfrosting (Packagist): affected from 0.3.1; fixed in 4.6.3

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-2021-25994/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25994/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-25994
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-25994
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-25994

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25994/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.