CVE-2020-16845 : What You Need to Know
Learn about CVE-2020-16845, a vulnerability in Go versions before 1.13.15 and 14.x before 1.14.7 that could lead to an infinite read loop. Find out the impact, affected systems, exploitation method, and mitigation steps.
Go before 1.13.15 and 14.x before 1.14.7 can have an infinite read loop in ReadUvarint and ReadVarint in encoding/binary via invalid inputs.
Understanding CVE-2020-16845
This CVE involves a vulnerability in Go versions before 1.13.15 and 14.x before 1.14.7 that could lead to an infinite read loop under specific conditions.
What is CVE-2020-16845?
CVE-2020-16845 is a security vulnerability in Go programming language versions that could result in an infinite read loop due to incorrect handling of certain inputs in the encoding/binary package.
The Impact of CVE-2020-16845
The vulnerability could be exploited by an attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition by triggering the infinite read loop, potentially leading to resource exhaustion and system instability.
Technical Details of CVE-2020-16845
This section provides more in-depth technical insights into the CVE.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability in Go versions before 1.13.15 and 14.x before 1.14.7 allows for an infinite read loop in ReadUvarint and ReadVarint functions in encoding/binary when processing invalid inputs.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Go versions before 1.13.15
- Go 14.x versions before 1.14.7
Exploitation Mechanism
Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by providing specially crafted invalid inputs to the ReadUvarint and ReadVarint functions in the encoding/binary package, triggering the infinite read loop.
Mitigation and Prevention
To address CVE-2020-16845 and enhance overall system security, consider the following mitigation strategies:
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update Go to version 1.13.15 or 1.14.7, which contain fixes for this vulnerability.
- Monitor system logs for any unusual behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts.
- Implement network-level controls to detect and block malicious traffic targeting the vulnerability.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update software and libraries to the latest versions to patch known vulnerabilities.
- Conduct security assessments and code reviews to identify and address potential weaknesses in the application code.
Patching and Updates
- Apply patches provided by the Go programming language maintainers promptly to ensure that the vulnerability is mitigated effectively.