CVE-2021-28799 is a vulnerability in the Apache Cassandra database management system that allows remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data. This vulnerability affects all versions of Apache Cassandra prior to 3.0.24, 3.11.10, 4.0-beta4, and 4.0-beta3. The vulnerability is caused by the failure of the server to properly validate client-supplied input, which can be exploited to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (DoS) attack.
The vulnerability was discovered by researchers at Synopsys who reported it to the Apache Software Foundation on March 31, 2021. The Apache Software Foundation released a security advisory on April 27, 2021, recommending that users of affected versions of Apache Cassandra upgrade to patched versions as soon as possible. The advisory also provided guidance on how to mitigate the vulnerability if upgrading is not immediately feasible.
Exploitation of this vulnerability could have serious consequences, including data theft, data modification, and disruption of critical infrastructure. As such, it is important for organizations using Apache Cassandra to take immediate action to patch their systems or implement mitigations until patches become available. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of regularly updating software and maintaining strong cybersecurity practices to protect against emerging threats.