# CVE-2021-44981: Command injection in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary commands and escalate privileges via unsanitized input in QuickBox Pro's config.php.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 24 Jan 2022
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-m48c-43hf-qvp4

## What is CVE-2021-44981?

CVE-2021-44981 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 24 Jan 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In QuickBox Pro v2.5.8 and below, the config.php file has a variable which takes a GET parameter value and parses it into a shell_exec(''); function without properly sanitizing any shell arguments, therefore remote code execution is possible. Additionally, as the media server is running as root by default attackers can use the sudo command within this shell_exec(''); function, which allows for privilege escalation by means of RCE.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-44981?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Quickbox Quickbox.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-44981?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-44981 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-44981 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-44981 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2020-13448](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13448/): Command injection in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-13694](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13694/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-13695](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13695/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2021-45281](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-45281/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (medium 6.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-44981 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-44981 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 24 Jan 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-2021-44981 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-2021-44981/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-44981/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-44981
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-44981
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-44981

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-44981/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.