CVE-2021-30246 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability has been discovered in the jsrsasign package through version 10.1.13 for Node.js, where some invalid RSA PKCS#1 v1.5 signatures are incorrectly identified as valid. Although no practical attack is currently known, this flaw poses a potential security risk.

Understanding CVE-2021-30246

This section provides insight into the impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-30246.

What is CVE-2021-30246?

The vulnerability in the jsrsasign package allows certain invalid RSA PKCS#1 v1.5 signatures to be considered legitimate, which could lead to security issues if exploited by malicious actors.

The Impact of CVE-2021-30246

While there is no documented practical attack exploiting this vulnerability yet, the misrecognition of invalid signatures as valid could potentially be leveraged by threat actors to bypass security measures or conduct malicious activities.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-30246

Below are specific technical details related to the vulnerability:

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in the jsrsasign package version 10.1.13 enables the acceptance of invalid RSA PKCS#1 v1.5 signatures as valid, introducing a security loophole.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects Node.js applications utilizing jsrsasign package versions up to 10.1.13.

Exploitation Mechanism

Malicious entities could potentially exploit this vulnerability to deceive systems into accepting forged or malicious data as authentic, compromising the integrity and security of affected applications.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2021-30246 and enhance security posture, consider the following mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Monitor official sources for updates and patches released by the package maintainers.
Implement strict input validation and data integrity checks within the application code.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update dependencies to the latest secure versions.
Conduct security assessments and audits to identify and rectify vulnerabilities proactively.

Patching and Updates

Keep your Node.js applications up to date with the latest jsrsasign package version (beyond 10.1.13) to ensure the mitigation of this vulnerability.