CVE-2021-40526 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE-2021-40526 article provides insights into a vulnerability affecting Peleton TTR01 up to and including PTV55G, potentially leading to a Denial of Service attack through the Apple GymKit communication.

Understanding CVE-2021-40526

CVE-2021-40526 involves the incorrect calculation of buffer size, which can be exploited by a remote attacker to trigger a Denial of Service attack.

What is CVE-2021-40526?

The vulnerability in Peleton TTR01 up to PTV55G allows a remote attacker to exploit a heap overflow in the network server handling Apple GymKit communication, causing a Denial of Service that prevents Apple MFI device authentication with the Peleton Bike.

The Impact of CVE-2021-40526

The impact is rated as MEDIUM severity with a CVSS base score of 4.8. It poses a threat to network availability due to a heap overflow affecting the Apple GymKit communication.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-40526

This section outlines the technical aspects of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from an incorrect buffer size calculation, leading to a heap overflow in the network server, utilized for Apple GymKit communication.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Peleton TTR01 to PTV55G
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions: Not applicable

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited remotely by triggering a Denial of Service attack through the GymKit daemon process.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2021-40526, certain mitigation steps are recommended.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply vendor-supplied patches promptly.
Implement network segmentation to limit exposure.
Monitor network traffic for suspicious activities.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and firmware to mitigate similar vulnerabilities.
Conduct security assessments and penetration testing periodically.

Patching and Updates

Regularly check for and apply security patches from the vendor to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.