# CVE-2021-40616: Incorrect Authorization in thinkcmf

> An attacker with background user management group permissions can modify the administrator password, leading to full account takeover.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 14 Jun 2022
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-v25c-8349-v2q3

## What is CVE-2021-40616?

CVE-2021-40616 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 14 Jun 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

thinkcmf v5.1.7 has an unauthorized vulnerability. The attacker can modify the password of the administrator account with id 1 through the background user management group permissions. The use condition is that the background user management group authority is required.

Weakness: CWE-425 (Direct Request)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-40616?

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


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `thinkcmf/thinkcmf` | Packagist | All versions | 6.0.0 |
| `thinkcmf/thinkcmf` | Packagist | All versions | 6.0.0 |

Products: Thinkcmf Thinkcmf.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-40616?

Upgrade thinkcmf/thinkcmf to 6.0.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2021-40616 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-40616 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2024-31615](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-31615/): File upload in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-20601](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-20601/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-6713](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-6713/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-40489](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-40489/): ThinkCMF Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2019-7580](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-7580/): Code injection in n/a (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-40616 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-40616 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 14 Jun 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-40616 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- thinkcmf/thinkcmf (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 6.0.0
- thinkcmf/thinkcmf (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 6.0.0

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-2021-40616/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40616/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-40616
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-40616
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-40616

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40616/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.