Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
McAfee Database Security before 4.8.2 has a stored XSS issue in the DBSec interface. A privileged administrator can place JavaScript in a monitored database name, and another authorized user can trigger it by opening that database properties page.
Executive priority
Treat as a targeted administrative-interface risk, not a mass-exploitation emergency. Prioritize remediation where DBSec protects sensitive databases, has multiple administrators, or is accessible beyond a tightly controlled management network.
Technical view
CVE-2021-31830 is CWE-79 improper neutralization during web page generation. The attack requires high privileges, adjacent access, and user interaction. Impact is potentially high confidentiality and integrity within the DBSec web interface, with no availability impact stated.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to organizations running McAfee Database Security prior to 4.8.2. Risk is greatest where multiple authorized users administer or review DBSec configurations and where the DBSec interface is reachable by broader internal networks.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not indicate known active exploitation, and KEV status is false. Abuse requires an administrator-level configuration change and an authorized user opening the affected properties page, making this more insider or compromised-admin relevant than internet-scale exploitation.
Researcher notes
The CVSS vector is AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N with score 5.9. Evidence identifies the sink as the database properties configuration page and the source as the monitored database name. No exploit details or public exploitation evidence are provided.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade McAfee DBSec to version 4.8.2 or follow McAfee SB10359 guidance.
- Restrict DBSec administrative access to trusted users only.
- Limit network access to the DBSec management interface.
- Review monitored database names for unexpected script-like content.
- Remove suspicious configuration values and rotate affected user sessions if needed.
Validation and detection
- Inventory deployed McAfee DBSec versions and identify systems before 4.8.2.
- Confirm whether DBSec management interfaces are reachable from untrusted internal segments.
- Review database monitoring configuration names for unsafe embedded content.
- Check audit logs for unusual administrator changes to monitored database names.
- Verify patched systems no longer render database names as executable page content.
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
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-79: User-session and phishing behavior lookup
Client-side and session-facing weaknesses should be reviewed alongside initial-access and user-execution behaviors. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupDatabase behavior lookup
The CVE wording references database injection or access, so collection and exfiltration review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-31830 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.9 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
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:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N0.75.2Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.9MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10359CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
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 Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.