CVE-2021-39131 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

CVE-2021-39131, titled 'Improper Handling of Unexpected Data Type in ced,' addresses a vulnerability in the ced library that can lead to a Node.js process crash. This CVE has a CVSS base score of 7.5, classifying it as a high-severity issue.

Understanding CVE-2021-39131

CVE-2021-39131 pertains to an improper handling of data types in the ced library, specifically versions prior to 1.0.0.

What is CVE-2021-39131?

ced, developed by sonicdoe, utilizes Google's compact_enc_det library for character encoding detection. In ced version 0.1.0, passing data types other than

Buffer

can trigger a crash in the Node.js process. This vulnerability has been patched in ced version 1.0.0. The issue can be mitigated by validating arguments as

Buffer

using

Buffer.isBuffer(obj)

before passing them to ced.

The Impact of CVE-2021-39131

The CVSS V3.1 base score for CVE-2021-39131 is 7.5 (High), with a high impact on availability. The vulnerability does not affect confidentiality or integrity, and no privileges are required for exploitation.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-39131

This section provides in-depth technical details of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stems from the improper handling of data types, leading to a Node.js process crash when non-

Buffer

data types are passed to ced v0.1.0.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: ced
Vendor: sonicdoe
Affected Version: < 1.0.0

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by passing data types other than

Buffer

to ced v0.1.0, triggering a crash in the Node.js process.

Mitigation and Prevention

Effective mitigation strategies to address CVE-2021-39131.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade to ced version 1.0.0 or higher to patch the vulnerability.
Validate all arguments passed to ced as

Buffer

using

Buffer.isBuffer(obj)

.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update dependencies to their latest secure versions.
Conduct regular security audits to identify and address vulnerabilities in your codebase.

Patching and Updates

Apply the latest patch (v1.0.0) released by sonicdoe to remediate the vulnerability.