CVE-2020-36423 : Security Advisory and Response

CVE-2020-36423, a vulnerability in Arm Mbed TLS, allows a remote attacker to recover plaintext due to a Lucky 13 countermeasure issue.

Understanding CVE-2020-36423

Arm Mbed TLS before version 2.23.0 is affected by this vulnerability.

What is CVE-2020-36423?

This CVE identifies a flaw in Arm Mbed TLS that enables a remote attacker to retrieve plaintext by exploiting a specific Lucky 13 countermeasure that fails to account for a hardware accelerator.

The Impact of CVE-2020-36423

The vulnerability poses a risk of plaintext recovery by malicious actors, potentially compromising sensitive data transmitted over insecure channels.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-36423

Arm Mbed TLS version 2.23.0 and below are susceptible to this security issue.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from a lack of proper consideration for a hardware accelerator in the Lucky 13 countermeasure, allowing attackers to recover plaintext.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: n/a
Product: n/a
Versions Affected: All versions before 2.23.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability remotely to recover plaintext due to the inadequate handling of the Lucky 13 countermeasure.

Mitigation and Prevention

It is crucial to take immediate steps to address and prevent exploitation of CVE-2020-36423.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Arm Mbed TLS to version 2.23.0 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor network traffic for any signs of unauthorized access or data exfiltration.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strong encryption protocols and secure communication channels to protect data in transit.
Regularly audit and update security measures to address emerging threats and vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by Arm Mbed TLS to ensure the security of the system and prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.