# CVE-2021-32697: Form validation can be skipped

> Attackers can bypass form validation by crafting specific GET requests, potentially triggering unintended side effects in form finishers.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 21 Jun 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-m5vx-8chx-qvmm

## What is CVE-2021-32697?

CVE-2021-32697 is a medium-severity vulnerability in neos form, published on 21 Jun 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

neos/forms is an open source framework to build web forms. By crafting a special `GET` request containing a valid form state, a form can be submitted without invoking any validators. Form state is secured with an HMAC that is still verified. That means that this issue can only be exploited if Form Finishers cause side effects even if no form values have been sent. Form Finishers can be adjusted in a way that they only execute an action if the submitted form contains some expected data. Alternatively a custom Finisher can be added as first finisher. This regression was introduced with https://github.com/neos/form/commit/049d415295be8d4a0478ccba97dba1bb81649567

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-32697?

6 open source packages ship an affected version, including neos/form. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `neos/form` | Packagist | From 1.2.0 | 4.3.3 |
| `neos/form` | Packagist | From 1.2.0 | 4.3.3 |
| `neos/form` | Packagist | From 5.0.0 | 5.0.9 |
| `neos/form` | Packagist | From 5.0.0 | 5.0.9 |
| `neos/form` | Packagist | From 5.1.0 | 5.1.3 |
| `neos/form` | Packagist | From 5.1.0 | 5.1.3 |

Products: Neos Form.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-32697?

Upgrade neos/form to a fixed version for your release line: 4.3.3, 5.0.9 or 5.1.3.

## Is CVE-2021-32697 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-32697 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-32697 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-32697 is a medium-severity vulnerability in neos form, published on 21 Jun 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-2021-32697 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- neos/form (Packagist): affected from 1.2.0; fixed in 4.3.3
- neos/form (Packagist): affected from 1.2.0; fixed in 4.3.3
- neos/form (Packagist): affected from 5.0.0; fixed in 5.0.9
- neos/form (Packagist): affected from 5.0.0; fixed in 5.0.9
- neos/form (Packagist): affected from 5.1.0; fixed in 5.1.3
- neos/form (Packagist): affected from 5.1.0; fixed in 5.1.3

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-2021-32697/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32697/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-32697
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-32697
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-32697

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32697/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.