CVE-2021-45706 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

An issue was discovered in the zeroize_derive crate before 1.1.1 for Rust where dropped memory is not zeroed out for an enum.

Understanding CVE-2021-45706

This CVE relates to a vulnerability in the zeroize_derive crate in Rust that can result in unzeroed dropped memory for an enum.

What is CVE-2021-45706?

The vulnerability in the zeroize_derive crate in Rust allows for dropped memory not being zeroed out for an enum, potentially leading to security risks.

The Impact of CVE-2021-45706

The impact of this CVE is the exposure of sensitive data due to insufficient clearing of memory upon drop operations within Rust applications.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-45706

This section covers specific technical details of the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stems from the zeroize_derive crate before version 1.1.1 in Rust, where dropped memory is not appropriately zeroed out for an enum data type.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions affected: Not applicable

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability to access sensitive information left uncleared in memory due to the improper handling of dropped data in Rust applications.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address and prevent the CVE issue, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade the zeroize_derive crate to version 1.1.1 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Review and modify application code to ensure proper zeroization of sensitive data.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement secure coding practices to handle sensitive data securely and maintain memory hygiene.
Regularly review and update dependencies to ensure the use of secure versions.

Patching and Updates

Keep all software dependencies up to date to incorporate the latest patches and security enhancements.