CVE-2020-28366 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

CVE-2020-28366, assigned by Go, involves arbitrary code execution in the go command with cgo in cmd/go and cmd/cgo.

Understanding CVE-2020-28366

What is CVE-2020-28366?

Code injection in the go command with cgo before Go 1.14.12 and Go 1.15.5 allows arbitrary code execution at build time via a malicious unquoted symbol name in a linked object file.

The Impact of CVE-2020-28366

This vulnerability can lead to arbitrary code execution during the build process, potentially allowing attackers to compromise the integrity of the build environment.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-28366

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stems from improper control of the generation of code (Code Injection) in the go command with cgo.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: Go toolchain
Affected Products: cmd/go, cmd/cgo
Versions at Risk:
cmd/go: Versions less than 1.14.12 and 1.15.5
cmd/cgo: Versions less than 1.14.12 and 1.15.5

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious code during the build process by exploiting unquoted symbol names in linked object files.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update to Go versions 1.14.12 or 1.15.5 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Avoid using untrusted code or libraries in the build process.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and update dependencies to ensure the use of secure versions.
Implement code review processes to detect and prevent code injection vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by Go to address the vulnerability and prevent arbitrary code execution.