CVE-2020-7711 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE-2020-7711 article provides insights into a Denial of Service vulnerability affecting github.com/russellhaering/goxmldsig.

Understanding CVE-2020-7711

This vulnerability impacts all versions of the goxmldsig package, leading to a crash due to a nil-pointer dereference when handling malformed XML signatures.

What is CVE-2020-7711?

The CVE-2020-7711 vulnerability is classified as a Denial of Service (DoS) issue, resulting from a flaw in processing XML signatures.

The Impact of CVE-2020-7711

The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (High), with a high impact on availability. It can be exploited remotely without requiring privileges.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-7711

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in goxmldsig allows attackers to trigger a crash by sending specially crafted XML signatures, leading to a denial of service condition.

Affected Systems and Versions

Package: github.com/russellhaering/goxmldsig
Versions: All versions are affected

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
Exploit Code Maturity: Proof of Concept

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update to a patched version of goxmldsig to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor for any unusual XML signature processing that could indicate exploitation attempts.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software dependencies to ensure the latest security patches are applied.
Implement input validation mechanisms to prevent malformed XML signatures from causing crashes.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories related to goxmldsig and promptly apply patches to address known vulnerabilities.