CVE-2021-20235
HIGHEPSS 99th pctlDescription
There's a flaw in the zeromq server in versions before 4.3.3 in src/decoder_allocators.hpp. The decoder static allocator could have its sized changed, but the buffer would remain the same as it is a static buffer. A remote, unauthenticated attacker who sends a crafted request to the zeromq server could trigger a buffer overflow WRITE of arbitrary data if CURVE/ZAP authentication is not enabled. The greatest impact of this flaw is to application availability, data integrity, and confidentiality.
How to fix
TridentStack Control can deploy fixes like this automatically across your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet. See how it works
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Exploit Intelligence
Very high risk: more likely to be exploited than 99% of all known CVEs.
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-120 (Classic Buffer Overflow) vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2014-0195 | Medium | 6.8 | 100% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2017-7269 | Critical | 9.8 | 100% | KEV | - |
| CVE-2019-11043 | High | 8.7 | 99% | KEV + Ransom | Fix |
| CVE-2011-4862 | High | 10.0 | 95% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2007-5659 | High | 7.8 | 94% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2022-3786 | High | 7.5 | 92% | - | Fix |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2021-20235?
Published advisories record a fix for 4 affected products. The "How to fix" section on this page lists the fixed version and source advisory for each one, so apply the entry matching what you actually run.
Is CVE-2021-20235 being actively exploited?
Not that we know of. CVE-2021-20235 is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Its EPSS score of 43.9% is the estimated probability that it will be exploited in the next 30 days. That is higher than 99% of all scored CVEs.
How severe is CVE-2021-20235?
CVE-2021-20235 has a CVSS v3 base score of 8.1, rated high. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2021-20235 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for zeromq3 (Debian), libzmq3 (Ubuntu), libzmq5 (Ubuntu), zeromq3 (Ubuntu). Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2024-11-21.