Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
SuiteCRM instances in the affected 7.10 and 7.11 ranges can let a low-privileged user plant spreadsheet formulas in account fields. If an administrator exports Accounts data to CSV and opens it in a spreadsheet, the formula may run with the administrator’s spreadsheet context.
Executive priority
Treat this as high priority for affected SuiteCRM deployments because routine CSV export workflows can turn low-privileged data entry into administrator-side code execution risk in spreadsheet tools.
Technical view
CVE-2021-25960 is a CWE-1236 CSV/formula injection issue in SuiteCRM Accounts. It affects v7.11.18 through v7.11.19 and v7.10.29 through v7.10.31. The source says it bypassed an earlier CVE-2020-15301 mitigation. CVSS 3.1 is 8.0, requiring low privileges and user interaction.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely where affected SuiteCRM versions are used and lower-privileged users can create or edit Accounts data that administrators later export and open as CSV files.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not show KEV listing or active exploitation evidence. Exploitation depends on a low-privileged attacker controlling account field content and an administrator exporting and opening the CSV.
Researcher notes
The key issue is failed sanitization of spreadsheet formula-leading content during Accounts CSV export. Sources identify affected ranges and fixing commits, but the bundle does not name a specific patched release or provide active exploitation evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Identify SuiteCRM deployments in the affected 7.10 and 7.11 version ranges.
- Apply SuiteCRM vendor fixes containing the referenced commits, or upgrade per vendor guidance.
- Limit Accounts export permissions to trusted administrative users until remediated.
- Warn administrators not to open untrusted CRM CSV exports in spreadsheet software.
Validation and detection
- Inventory SuiteCRM versions and confirm whether they fall in the affected ranges.
- Check whether the referenced fix commits are present in deployed code.
- Review Accounts export handling for formula-neutralization behavior.
- Use safe test records to confirm exported CSV fields are neutralized.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
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ATT&CK lookup starting points
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CWE-1236: Exact CWE lookup
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Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-25960 mapping review
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Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H2.15.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.whitesourcesoftware.com/vulnerability-database/CVE-2021-25960CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://github.com/salesagility/SuiteCRM/commit/7124482fe07ee164923d974456ed31e45f65e513CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://github.com/salesagility/SuiteCRM/commit/f463031bee59676d7d5be53bb32d551cd70a5648CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File
Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.