HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2021-40848
HIGH

CVE-2021-40848

CWE-1236Published: November 3, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

In Mahara before 20.04.5, 20.10.3, 21.04.2, and 21.10.0, exported CSV files could contain characters that a spreadsheet program could interpret as a command, leading to execution of a malicious string locally on a device, aka CSV injection.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2021-40848 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.8.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionRequired
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

mahara1 product(s)
mahara
Source: NVD CPE · 2 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

ADVISORYhttps://bugs.launchpad.net/mahara/+bug/1930471
ADVISORYhttps://mahara.org/interaction/forum/topic.php?id=8950
ADVISORYhttps://bugs.launchpad.net/mahara/+bug/1930471
ADVISORYhttps://mahara.org/interaction/forum/topic.php?id=8950

All References (4)

→
https://bugs.launchpad.net/mahara/+bug/1930471Vendor Advisory
→
https://mahara.org/interaction/forum/topic.php?id=8950Vendor Advisory
→
https://bugs.launchpad.net/mahara/+bug/1930471Vendor Advisory
→
https://mahara.org/interaction/forum/topic.php?id=8950Vendor Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2021-40848
CVSS Score7.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-1236
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedNov 3, 2021

Related CVEs (CWE-1236)

CVE-2021-23654
9.8
CVE-2022-22425
9.8
CVE-2019-0403
9.8
CVE-2021-3188
9.8
CVE-2018-8092
9.8
CVE-2022-3463
9.8

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2021-40848 in threat intel feeds
  • →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
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