CVE-2021-4216 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Learn about CVE-2021-4216, a Floating point exception vulnerability in Mupdf, allowing exploitation via division-by-zero errors. Mitigation and prevention strategies included.
A Floating point exception (division-by-zero) flaw was found in Mupdf for zero width pages in muraster.c. This vulnerability, identified as CWE-369 - Divide By Zero, affects the Mupdf product and is fixed in version 1.20.0-rc1 upstream.
Understanding CVE-2021-4216
This section provides insights into the nature and impact of the CVE-2021-4216 vulnerability.
What is CVE-2021-4216?
The CVE-2021-4216 vulnerability is a Floating point exception (division-by-zero) flaw found in Mupdf for zero width pages in muraster.c. It is categorized under CWE-369 - Divide By Zero.
The Impact of CVE-2021-4216
The impact of this vulnerability is that it allows an attacker to trigger a division-by-zero error in Mupdf, potentially leading to a denial of service condition or other exploitations.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-4216
In this section, we delve into specific technical details related to CVE-2021-4216.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability exists in Mupdf due to improper handling of division-by-zero errors in cases of zero width pages in muraster.c.
Affected Systems and Versions
The vulnerability affects Mupdf version 1.20.0-rc1. Systems using this version are susceptible to exploitation.
Exploitation Mechanism
An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious PDF file that triggers a division-by-zero error when processing zero width pages in muraster.c.
Mitigation and Prevention
To safeguard systems against CVE-2021-4216, immediate and long-term security measures need to be implemented.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update Mupdf to version 1.20.0-rc1 to mitigate the vulnerability.
- Regularly monitor security advisories and patches provided by Mupdf.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Implement secure coding practices to prevent common software vulnerabilities.
- Conduct regular security assessments and audits to identify and address potential security issues.
Patching and Updates
Regularly apply security patches and updates released by Mupdf to address known vulnerabilities and improve overall system security.