# CVE-2021-40843: Deserialization in n/a

> An attacker with local database write access can trigger unsafe deserialization to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges on the server.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 13 Oct 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7c7v-mm4m-x9mj

## What is CVE-2021-40843?

CVE-2021-40843 is a high-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in n/a, published on 13 Oct 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Proofpoint Insider Threat Management Server contains an unsafe deserialization vulnerability in the Web Console. An attacker with write access to the local database could cause arbitrary code to execute with SYSTEM privileges on the underlying server when a Web Console user triggers retrieval of that data. When chained with a SQL injection vulnerability, the vulnerability could be exploited remotely if Web Console users click a series of maliciously crafted URLs. All versions prior to 7.11.2 are affected.

Weakness: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-40843?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Proofpoint Insider Threat Management Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-40843?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-40843 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-40843 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-40843 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2021-40842](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40842/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-10655](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10655/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-10656](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10656/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-10658](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10658/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-10657](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10657/): Deserialization in n/a (high 7.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-40843 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-40843 is a high-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in n/a, published on 13 Oct 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-40843 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2021-40843/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40843/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-40843
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-40843
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-40843

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40843/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.