CVE-2021-20298 : Security Advisory and Response

A flaw in OpenEXR's B44Compressor allows an attacker to exhaust all memory accessible to the application by submitting a crafted file. Learn about the impact, technical details, and mitigation steps for this CVE.

Understanding CVE-2021-20298

This section provides an overview of the vulnerability associated with CVE-2021-20298.

What is CVE-2021-20298?

CVE-2021-20298 is a vulnerability found in OpenEXR's B44Compressor that allows an attacker to exhaust all memory accessible to the application by submitting a crafted file. The primary risk from this vulnerability is to system availability.

The Impact of CVE-2021-20298

The highest threat posed by CVE-2021-20298 is to system availability, as an attacker can exploit this flaw to consume all available memory, potentially leading to a denial of service condition.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-20298

This section delves into the technical aspects of CVE-2021-20298, including vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, and exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in OpenEXR's B44Compressor allows an attacker to exhaust all memory accessible to the application by submitting a crafted file. This can result in a denial of service due to excessive resource consumption.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects OpenEXR versions up to OpenEXR 3.0.0-beta. Systems using these versions are at risk of memory exhaustion by malicious actors.

Exploitation Mechanism

An attacker can exploit CVE-2021-20298 by submitting a specially crafted file to OpenEXR, triggering the exhaustion of memory resources within the application.

Mitigation and Prevention

Discover the necessary steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2021-20298.

Immediate Steps to Take

Immediately update OpenEXR to version 3.0.0-beta or later to patch the vulnerability and prevent memory exhaustion attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement comprehensive security measures, such as regular software updates, intrusion detection systems, and access control policies, to enhance overall system security.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates for OpenEXR and promptly apply patches to address known vulnerabilities and protect systems from potential exploits.