CVE-2020-29362 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

An issue was discovered in p11-kit 0.21.1 through 0.23.21 that leads to a heap-based buffer over-read in the RPC protocol, potentially allowing the reading of memory beyond the heap allocation.

Understanding CVE-2020-29362

What is CVE-2020-29362?

The vulnerability in p11-kit versions 0.21.1 through 0.23.21 allows for a heap-based buffer over-read in the RPC protocol used by the p11-kit server/remote commands and client library.

The Impact of CVE-2020-29362

The vulnerability could be exploited by a remote entity to read up to 4 bytes of memory past the heap allocation, potentially leading to information disclosure or denial of service.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-29362

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises from a heap-based buffer over-read in the RPC protocol of p11-kit, triggered when a byte array is supplied through a serialized PKCS#11 function call.

Affected Systems and Versions

Versions 0.21.1 through 0.23.21 of p11-kit

Exploitation Mechanism

Remote entities can exploit the vulnerability by providing a crafted byte array through a serialized PKCS#11 function call, allowing them to read memory beyond the allocated heap.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the security update provided by the vendor
Monitor vendor advisories and security mailing lists for further updates

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and libraries to patched versions
Implement network security measures to prevent unauthorized access

Patching and Updates

Update p11-kit to versions beyond 0.23.21 to mitigate the vulnerability