CVE-2021-39137 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

In August 2021, a consensus flaw during block processing in go-ethereum was identified, potentially leading to chain splits and denial of service.

Understanding CVE-2021-39137

The vulnerability affects

go-ethereum

versions between

1.10.0

and

1.10.8

.

What is CVE-2021-39137?

go-ethereum, the official Go implementation of the Ethereum protocol, contains a consensus flaw. This flaw could result in a chain split where vulnerable versions may reject the canonical chain.

The Impact of CVE-2021-39137

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 6.5 (Medium severity) with a high availability impact. No confidentiality or integrity impacts are reported.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-39137

This section delves into the specifics of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in go-ethereum allows for a consensus-vulnerability that may lead to a chain split and denial of service.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: go-ethereum
Vendor: Ethereum
Versions: >= 1.10.0, < 1.10.8

Exploitation Mechanism

The flaw can be exploited over the network with low attack complexity and privileges required.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to mitigate the vulnerability and prevent exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade to

go-ethereum v1.10.8

once released.

Long-Term Security Practices

Monitor official Ethereum channels for vulnerability disclosures.
Regularly update go-ethereum to the latest secure versions.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about patches and updates from the official Ethereum releases to address this flaw.