CVE-2021-32704 [High] | SQL Injection in Dhis 2

DHIS 2 is an information system for data capture, management, validation, analytics and visualization. A SQL injection security vulnerability has been found in specific versions of DHIS2. This vulnerability affects the /api/trackedEntityInstances API endpoint in DHIS2 versions 2.34.4, 2.35.2, 2.35.3, 2.35.4, and 2.36.0. Earlier versions, such as 2.34.3 and 2.35.1 and all versions 2.33 and older are unaffected. The system is vulnerable to attack only from users that are logged in to DHIS2, and there is no known way of exploiting the vulnerability without first being logged in as a DHIS2 user. A successful exploit of this vulnerability could allow the malicious user to read, edit and delete data in the DHIS2 instance. There are no known exploits of the security vulnerabilities addressed by these patch releases. However, we strongly recommend that all DHIS2 implementations using versions 2.34, 2.35 and 2.36 install these patches as soon as possible. There is no straightforward known workaround for DHIS2 instances using the Tracker functionality other than upgrading the affected DHIS2 server to one of the patches in which this vulnerability has been fixed. For implementations which do NOT use Tracker functionality, it may be possible to block all network access to POST to the /api/trackedEntityInstance endpoint as a temporary workaround while waiting to upgrade.

#	Date	Old EPSS score	New EPSS score	Delta (New - Old)
1	2025-03-30	0.50%	0.26%	-0.24%
2	2025-03-29	0.26%	0.50%	+0.24%
3	2025-03-17	—	0.26%	—

Date

Old EPSS score

New EPSS score

Delta (New - Old)

2025-03-30

0.50%

0.26%

-0.24%

2025-03-29

0.26%

0.50%

+0.24%

2025-03-17

—

0.26%

—

Base score	Version	Severity	Vector	Exploitability	Impact	Score source
8.5	3.1	HIGH	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:N) Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine. Attack complexity (AC:H) Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work. Privileges required (PR:L) A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin. User interaction (UI:N) Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping. Scope (S:C) Breaking this can reach past the original component and bite other resources—bigger blast radius. Confidentiality (C:H) Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way. Integrity (I:H) They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt. Availability (A:H) Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.	1.8	6.0	[email protected]
8.8	3.1	HIGH	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:N) Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine. Attack complexity (AC:L) Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup. Privileges required (PR:L) A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin. User interaction (UI:N) Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping. Scope (S:U) Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems. Confidentiality (C:H) Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way. Integrity (I:H) They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt. Availability (A:H) Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.	2.8	5.9	[email protected]
6.5	2.0	MEDIUM	`AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P` Click to expand Access vector (AV:N) Can be exploited remotely over network reachability. Access complexity (AC:L) Exploitation conditions are straightforward and predictable. Authentication (AU:S) A single authentication is required. Confidentiality impact (C:P) Partial confidentiality impact. Integrity impact (I:P) Partial integrity impact. Availability impact (A:P) Partial availability impact.	8.0	6.4	[email protected]

Base score

Version

Severity

Vector

Exploitability

Impact

Score source

8.5

3.1

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand

Attack vector (AV:N): Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H): Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:L): A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin.
User interaction (UI:N): Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:C): Breaking this can reach past the original component and bite other resources—bigger blast radius.
Confidentiality (C:H): Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H): They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H): Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.

1.8

6.0

[email protected]

8.8

3.1

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand

Attack vector (AV:N): Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L): Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:L): A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin.
User interaction (UI:N): Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U): Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H): Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H): They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H): Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.

2.8

5.9

[email protected]

6.5

2.0

MEDIUM

AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P Click to expand

Access vector (AV:N): Can be exploited remotely over network reachability.
Access complexity (AC:L): Exploitation conditions are straightforward and predictable.
Authentication (AU:S): A single authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:P): Partial confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:P): Partial integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:P): Partial availability impact.

8.0

6.4

[email protected]

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2021-32704

Vendor	Product	Version	Raw CPE
dhis2	dhis_2	>= 2.34.4, < 2.34.5	cpe:2.3:a:dhis2:dhis_2::::::::
dhis2	dhis_2	>= 2.35.2, < 2.35.5	cpe:2.3:a:dhis2:dhis_2::::::::
dhis2	dhis_2	>= 2.36.0, < 2.36.1	cpe:2.3:a:dhis2:dhis_2::::::::

References for CVE-2021-32704

URL	Tags
https://github.com/dhis2/dhis2-core/security/advisories/GHSA-fj38-585h-hxgj	Third Party Advisory

URL

CVE-2021-32704 | Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') in dhis2-core

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2021-32704

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2021-32704

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2021-32704

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2021-32704

References for CVE-2021-32704