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CVE-2021-43618: High Vulnerability in GNU Multiple Precision Arithmetic Library (GMP)

CVE-2021-43618 is a high-severity vulnerability in GNU Multiple Precision Arithmetic Library (GMP), resulting from an integer overflow leading to a buffer overflow. Organizations should prioritize patching to mitigate potential impacts.

HIGHCVSS 7.5 · Published November 15, 2021

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CVE-2021-43618 affects the GNU Multiple Precision Arithmetic Library (GMP) versions up to 6.2.1. This vulnerability allows an integer overflow and resultant buffer overflow via crafted input, leading to a segmentation fault on 32-bit platforms. With a CVSS score of 7.5, this vulnerability is classified as high severity, which necessitates immediate attention from affected organizations.

The risk to organizations includes potential denial of service, which could impact service availability. As the vulnerability can be exploited over a network without requiring any authentication or user interaction, it poses a significant risk. Therefore, organizations should prioritize patching immediately.

No public exploits have been confirmed, and the vulnerability is not currently listed in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. However, the potential for exploitation still exists, highlighting the importance of remediation.

Due to the critical nature of this vulnerability, organizations utilizing GMP or associated products should take immediate action to mitigate risks.

Vulnerability Details

The official description of CVE-2021-43618 states that the vulnerability allows for a crafted input to cause an integer overflow, leading to a buffer overflow in the mpz/inp_raw.c file. The CVSS 3.1 score is 7.5, indicating a high severity level due to the potential high impact on availability. The affected products include the GNU Multiple Precision Arithmetic Library, Debian Linux, and various firmware from NetApp.

Technical Analysis

The root cause of CVE-2021-43618 lies in the improper handling of input data within the GMP library, which can lead to an integer overflow. The attack vector is network-based, with a low complexity for an attacker, requiring no privileges or user interaction. The availability impact is assessed as high, with no confidentiality or integrity impact.

Risk & Impact Analysis

Organizations using affected versions of GMP may face service outages due to the potential for crashes resulting from the exploitation of this vulnerability. The blast radius could extend to any application relying on GMP for arithmetic operations, making it critical for organizations to assess their usage of this library.

Exploitation Status

Signal

Status

Known Exploit

No

Public PoC

No

Actively Exploited

No

Ransomware Use

No

Affected Versions

The vulnerability affects all versions of GMP up to and including 6.2.1, as well as various Debian Linux versions and specific NetApp firmware versions.

Mitigation & Remediation

Organizations should upgrade to the latest version of the GNU Multiple Precision Arithmetic Library to mitigate the risk associated with this vulnerability. If an immediate upgrade is not possible, consider implementing network controls to restrict access to vulnerable services and monitor for unusual activity.

Detection Guidance

Log indicators of segmentation faults and unusual memory usage patterns. Monitor network traffic for any unusual requests targeting the GMP library.

AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight

The long-term significance of CVE-2021-43618 lies in its potential to disrupt services relying on GMP. Security teams should take this incident as a reminder to maintain a proactive vulnerability management program, regularly assessing dependencies and ensuring timely updates.

Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.

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