# CVE-2021-4406: Authenticated Remote COmmand Execution as root in OSNEXUS QuantaStor version 6.0.0.355 and others

> Authenticated attackers can execute arbitrary commands as root via webhook injection in OSNEXUS QuantaStor alert manager.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/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:** 10 Jul 2023
- **Updated:** 24 Sep 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2xf9-j9jw-g7f7

## What is CVE-2021-4406?

CVE-2021-4406 is a critical command injection vulnerability in OSNEXUS QuantaStor, published on 10 Jul 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An authenticated attacker is able to create alerts that trigger a stored XSS attack.

POC

  *  go to the alert manager

  *  open the ITSM tab
  *  add a webhook with the URL/service token value 

'	-h	&&	id	|	tee	/tmp/ttttttddddssss	#' (whitespaces are tab characters)

  *  click add

  *  click apply

  *  create a test alert

  *  The test alert will run the command 

“id	|	tee	/tmp/ttttttddddssss” as root.

  *  after the test alert inspect 

/tmp/ttttttddddssss it'll contain the ids of the root user.

Weakness: CWE-77 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-4406?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Osnexus Quantastor.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-4406?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-4406 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-4406 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-4406 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in OSNEXUS QuantaStor

- [CVE-2021-42081](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42081/): Authenticated Remote Command Execution vulnerability in OSNEXUS QuantaStor before 6.0.0.355 (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2021-42083](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42083/): Authenticated Stored XSS in OSNEXUS QuantaStor 6.0.0.335 (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2021-42082](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42082/): Local Privilege Escalation to root in OSNEXUS QuantaStor before 6.0.0.355 (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-42080](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42080/): Reflected XSS vulnerability in OSNEXUS QuantaStor before 6.0.0.355 (high 7.4)
- [CVE-2021-42079](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42079/): SSRF vulnerability in OSNEXUS QuantaStor before 6.0.0.355 (medium 6.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-4406 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-4406 is a critical command injection vulnerability in OSNEXUS QuantaStor, published on 10 Jul 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-4406 exists.

Affected product: OSNEXUS QuantaStor. 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-2021-4406/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-4406/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-4406
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-4406
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-4406

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-4406/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.