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CVE-2021-44521

When running Apache Cassandra with the following configuration: enable_user_defined_functions: true enable_scripted_user_defined_functions: true enable_user_defined_functions_threads: false it is possible for an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the host. The attacker would need to have enough permissions to create user defined functions in the cluster to be able to exploit this. Note that this configuration is documented as unsafe, and will continue to be considered unsafe after this CVE.

Security Impact Summary

This vulnerability carries a CRITICAL severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 9.1, indicating it can be exploited remotely over the network with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 1 product from apache organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.

Historical Context

Reported in 2022, this vulnerability emerged during an era marked by increased sophistication in supply chain attacks, cloud infrastructure vulnerabilities, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) security challenges. Security practices during this period emphasized zero-trust architectures, container security, and API protection.

Published

2022-02-11T13:15:07.907

Last Modified

2024-11-21T06:31:09.090

Status

Modified

Source

[email protected]

Severity

CVSSv3.1: 9.1 (CRITICAL)

CVSSv2 Vector

AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C

Access Vector: NETWORK
Access Complexity: MEDIUM
Authentication: SINGLE
Confidentiality Impact: COMPLETE
Integrity Impact: COMPLETE
Availability Impact: COMPLETE

Exploitability Score

6.8

Impact Score

10.0

Weaknesses

Type: Secondary
CWE-94
Type: Primary
CWE-732

Affected Vendors & Products

Type	Vendor	Product	Version/Range	Vulnerable?
Application	apache	cassandra	< 3.0.26	Yes
Application	apache	cassandra	< 3.11.12	Yes
Application	apache	cassandra	< 4.0.2	Yes

References

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/02/11/4 Mailing List, Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
https://jfrog.com/blog/cve-2021-44521-exploiting-apache-cassandra-user-defined-functions-for-remote-code-execution/ Exploit, Mitigation, Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
https://lists.apache.org/thread/y4nb9s4co34j8hdfmrshyl09lokm7356 Issue Tracking, Mailing List, Vendor Advisory ([email protected])
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20220225-0001/ Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/02/11/4 Mailing List, Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://jfrog.com/blog/cve-2021-44521-exploiting-apache-cassandra-user-defined-functions-for-remote-code-execution/ Exploit, Mitigation, Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://lists.apache.org/thread/y4nb9s4co34j8hdfmrshyl09lokm7356 Issue Tracking, Mailing List, Vendor Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20220225-0001/ Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)

How SecUtils Interprets This CVE

SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For apache's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.