CVE-2020-35926 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

An issue was discovered in the nanorand crate before 0.5.1 for Rust, causing random number generators to return all zeroes due to mishandled integer truncation.

Understanding CVE-2020-35926

This CVE identifies a vulnerability in the nanorand crate for Rust.

What is CVE-2020-35926?

The vulnerability in the nanorand crate before version 0.5.1 for Rust led to the generation of all zeroes by random number generators, including ChaCha, due to mishandled integer truncation.

The Impact of CVE-2020-35926

The vulnerability could potentially lead to unpredictable behavior in systems relying on random number generation, impacting the security and integrity of cryptographic operations.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-35926

This section provides technical details of the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The issue in the nanorand crate before version 0.5.1 for Rust resulted in all zeroes being generated by random number generators due to mishandled integer truncation.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions affected: Not applicable

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability could be exploited by triggering the random number generation process, leading to the generation of all zeroes instead of expected random values.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect systems from CVE-2020-35926 with the following measures.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade to version 0.5.1 or later of the nanorand crate for Rust.
Implement secure coding practices to handle random number generation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update dependencies to ensure the latest security patches are applied.
Conduct thorough code reviews to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely patching and updates of the nanorand crate to mitigate the vulnerability.