CVE-2021-41173 : Security Advisory and Response
Discover CVE-2021-41173, a vulnerability in go-ethereum allowing malicious messages to crash nodes < 1.10.9. Learn the impact, mitigation steps, and how to prevent DoS attacks.
Go Ethereum is the official Golang implementation of the Ethereum protocol. Prior to version 1.10.9, a vulnerable node is susceptible to crash when processing a maliciously crafted message from a peer. This CVE discloses a denial of service (DoS) vulnerability in the go-ethereum software.
Understanding CVE-2021-41173
This section provides insights into the nature and impact of the identified vulnerability.
What is CVE-2021-41173?
CVE-2021-41173 refers to a vulnerability in go-ethereum that allows a maliciously crafted message from a peer to crash a vulnerable node running versions older than 1.10.9. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to a denial of service (DoS) condition.
The Impact of CVE-2021-41173
The vulnerability poses a medium-severity risk with a base score of 5.7 due to its potential for high availability impact while requiring low privileges. Malicious actors can disrupt Ethereum nodes running susceptible versions, affecting the network's reliability and performance.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-41173
Explore the technical aspects and implications of CVE-2021-41173 in this section.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability arises from improper input validation in go-ethereum prior to version 1.10.9, allowing specially crafted messages to trigger a crash in the software.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: go-ethereum
- Vendor: Ethereum
- Versions Affected: < 1.10.9
Exploitation Mechanism
The vulnerability can be exploited by sending a maliciously crafted message from a peer to a node running a vulnerable version of go-ethereum, resulting in a crash and a denial of service condition.
Mitigation and Prevention
Learn about the steps to mitigate and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2021-41173.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Upgrade to version 1.10.9 or newer to apply the patches addressing the vulnerability.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update and patch software to protect against known vulnerabilities.
- Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity that may indicate a DoS attack.
Patching and Updates
Stay informed about security advisories and promptly apply patches and updates to ensure the ongoing security of go-ethereum.