CVE-2021-29942 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

An issue was discovered in the reorder crate through 2021-02-24 for Rust. The vulnerability allows

swap_index

to return uninitialized values if an iterator returns a

len()

that is too large.

Understanding CVE-2021-29942

This CVE for the Rust language involves the reorder crate and poses a risk of returning uninitialized values under specific conditions.

What is CVE-2021-29942?

The vulnerability in the reorder crate in Rust can lead to uninitialized values being returned by the

swap_index

function, if the iterator's length exceeds certain limits.

The Impact of CVE-2021-29942

This vulnerability could potentially be exploited by malicious actors to manipulate uninitialized values, leading to unpredictable behavior and system compromise.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-29942

The technical details of CVE-2021-29942 highlight the specific vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in the reorder crate through 2021-02-24 for Rust allows the

swap_index

function to return uninitialized values due to large iterator lengths.

Affected Systems and Versions

All versions of Rust through 2021-02-24 using the reorder crate are affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

By providing a too-large length to the iterator, an attacker can trigger the

swap_index

function to return uninitialized values, potentially leading to security breaches.

Mitigation and Prevention

To protect systems from CVE-2021-29942, immediate steps can be taken along with establishing long-term security practices and applying necessary patches.

Immediate Steps to Take

Developers are advised to review and update the affected code to prevent the iterator from returning lengths that could trigger uninitialized values.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement secure coding practices and conduct regular code reviews to catch such vulnerabilities early in the development process.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that the software is updated to a version where the vulnerability has been patched to prevent exploitation.