CVE-2021-42694

Published Nov 1, 2021

Last updated 18 days ago

Overview

Description
An issue was discovered in the character definitions of the Unicode Specification through 14.0. The specification allows an adversary to produce source code identifiers such as function names using homoglyphs that render visually identical to a target identifier. Adversaries can leverage this to inject code via adversarial identifier definitions in upstream software dependencies invoked deceptively in downstream software. NOTE: the Unicode Consortium offers the following alternative approach to presenting this concern. An issue is noted in the nature of international text that can affect applications that implement support for The Unicode Standard (all versions). Unless mitigated, an adversary could produce source code identifiers using homoglyph characters that render visually identical to but are distinct from a target identifier. In this way, an adversary could inject adversarial identifier definitions in upstream software that are not detected by human reviewers and are invoked deceptively in downstream software. The Unicode Consortium has documented this class of security vulnerability in its document, Unicode Technical Report #36, Unicode Security Considerations. The Unicode Consortium also provides guidance on mitigations for this class of issues in Unicode Technical Standard #39, Unicode Security Mechanisms.
Source
cve@mitre.org
NVD status
Modified
CNA Tags
disputed

Risk scores

CVSS 3.1

Type
Primary
Base score
8.3
Impact score
6
Exploitability score
1.6
Vector string
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Severity
HIGH

CVSS 2.0

Type
Primary
Base score
5.1
Impact score
6.4
Exploitability score
4.9
Vector string
AV:N/AC:H/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

Weaknesses

nvd@nist.gov
NVD-CWE-Other
134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
CWE-94

Social media

Hype score
Not currently trending

Configurations