CVE-2021-44515 Zoho Desktop Central: login or permission bypass
In plain words: A door that should be locked is not: part of the system can be reached without a valid login or permission. The attacker gets in as a user or administrator without knowing a password.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Dec 24, 2021
What to do
- Install Zoho's security update for Desktop Central. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
- Patch anything in this catalog first, ahead of normal patch cycles.
- Put admin and file-transfer apps behind a VPN or single sign-on instead of the open internet.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: Mass data theft and ransomware: a single flaw in a file-transfer or email server has exposed thousands of organisations at once.
The details
- Official name
- Zoho Desktop Central Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
- Product
- Zoho Desktop Central
- CISA description
- Zoho Desktop Central contains an authentication bypass vulnerability that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the Desktop Central MSP server.
- Type of flaw
- Login or permission bypass
- Confirmed exploited
- Dec 10, 2021
- US federal patch deadline
- Dec 24, 2021
Ask Cleus about it
Ask about a vulnerability, an update, a weird message, or the news. Plain-word answers, free, no account.
Answering about CVE-2021-44515 ·
Questions about CVE-2021-44515
Is CVE-2021-44515 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2021-44515 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Dec 10, 2021, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2021-44515?
Install Zoho's security update for Desktop Central. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
Am I affected by CVE-2021-44515?
Only if you use Zoho Desktop Central. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.