CVE-2021-42375 : What You Need to Know
Discover how CVE-2021-42375 exposes Busybox to DoS attacks due to mishandling of special characters. Learn the impact, affected versions, and mitigation steps here.
CVE-2021-42375 involves an incorrect handling of a special element in Busybox's ash applet, leading to denial of service by the shell when processing a crafted shell command. The vulnerability affects Busybox versions less than 1.34.0.
Understanding CVE-2021-42375
What is CVE-2021-42375?
CVE-2021-42375 results from the shell mistaking specific characters for reserved characters, causing denial of service under rare conditions of filtered command input.
The Impact of CVE-2021-42375
The vulnerability allows attackers to exploit Busybox's ash applet, potentially leading to denial of service scenarios for affected systems.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-42375
Vulnerability Description
An incorrect handling of a special element in Busybox's ash applet results in denial of service due to specific character misinterpretation.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Vendor: Busybox
- Product: Busybox
- Affected Versions: Less than 1.34.0
- Version Type: Custom
Exploitation Mechanism
Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by submitting crafted shell commands, leveraging the mishandling of specific characters by Busybox's ash applet.
Mitigation and Prevention
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update Busybox to version 1.34.0 or newer to mitigate the vulnerability.
- Implement proper input validation mechanisms to filter out malicious commands.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly monitor and patch software vulnerabilities to prevent potential exploits.
- Conduct security audits to identify and address any vulnerable components in the system.
Patching and Updates
Apply security patches provided by Busybox promptly to address the vulnerability.