CVE-2020-14040 : What You Need to Know
Learn about CVE-2020-14040, a vulnerability in the x/text package for Go that could lead to an infinite loop in the UTF-16 decoder, potentially crashing the program or causing memory exhaustion. Find mitigation steps and prevention measures here.
The x/text package before 0.3.3 for Go has a vulnerability in encoding/unicode that could lead to an infinite loop, potentially crashing the program or causing memory exhaustion.
Understanding CVE-2020-14040
This CVE involves a vulnerability in the x/text package for Go that could be exploited to trigger an infinite loop in the UTF-16 decoder.
What is CVE-2020-14040?
The vulnerability in the x/text package for Go could allow an attacker to cause the UTF-16 decoder to enter an infinite loop, leading to program crashes or memory depletion.
The Impact of CVE-2020-14040
The vulnerability could be exploited by providing a single byte to a UTF16 decoder instantiated with UseBOM or ExpectBOM, resulting in an infinite loop when specific functions are called.
Technical Details of CVE-2020-14040
This section provides more technical insights into the CVE.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability in the x/text package for Go allows an attacker to trigger an infinite loop in the UTF-16 decoder, potentially crashing the program or causing memory exhaustion.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: Not applicable
- Vendor: Not applicable
- Versions affected: Before 0.3.3
Exploitation Mechanism
An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by providing a single byte to a UTF16 decoder instantiated with UseBOM or ExpectBOM, leading to an infinite loop when specific functions are called.
Mitigation and Prevention
Protecting systems from CVE-2020-14040 is crucial to prevent potential exploitation.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update the x/text package to version 0.3.3 or newer to mitigate the vulnerability.
- Monitor for any unusual behavior that could indicate exploitation of the vulnerability.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update software packages and dependencies to address known vulnerabilities.
- Implement proper input validation and sanitization to prevent malicious inputs.
Patching and Updates
- Apply patches and updates provided by the software vendor to address the vulnerability effectively.