# CVE-2021-42001: PingID Desktop encryption libraries misconfiguration can lead to sensitive data exposure

> Misconfigured encryption libraries in PingID Desktop allow attackers to expose sensitive data and bypass MFA challenges.

- **Severity:** High 8.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 30 Apr 2022
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8h4f-v5fw-fh7v

## What is CVE-2021-42001?

CVE-2021-42001 is a high-severity vulnerability in PingID Desktop, published on 30 Apr 2022. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

PingID Desktop prior to 1.7.3 has a misconfiguration in the encryption libraries which can lead to sensitive data exposure. An attacker capable of exploiting this vulnerability may be able to successfully complete an MFA challenge via OTP.

Weakness: CWE-310

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-42001?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Pingidentity Pingid Desktop.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-42001?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-42001 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-42001 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-42001 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-42001 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-42001 is a high-severity vulnerability in PingID Desktop, published on 30 Apr 2022. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-42001 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: PingID Desktop. 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-2021-42001/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42001/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-42001
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-42001
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-42001

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42001/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.