CVE-2021-45706: Zeroize derive Memory Flaw Vulnerability

CRITICAL
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-c5hx-w945-j4pq
Share
CVSS 9.8
CWE-459
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2021-45706 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8) memory flaw vulnerability (CWE-459: Incomplete Cleanup) affecting Zeroize derive libraries in the crates.io ecosystem. The issue involves memory flaw in zeroize_derive. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.1.1.

CVE-2021-45706 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2021-45706
GHSA Identifier GHSA-c5hx-w945-j4pq
Severity CRITICAL
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 9.8
CWE Classification CWE-459: Incomplete Cleanup
Affected Product Zeroize derive
Package Ecosystem crates.io
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 9.8

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2021-45706

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Zeroize derive dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

zeroize_derive fixed: 1.1.1 
Upgrade zeroize_derive to 1.1.1
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

inspect dependencies for zeroize_derive

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2021-45706, inspect your project dependencies for Zeroize derive:

inspect dependencies for zeroize_derive

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Zeroize derive in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.1.1), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-459: Incomplete Cleanup, where the product does not properly "clean up" and remove temporary or supporting resources after they have been used. In Zeroize derive, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

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

CVE-2021-45706 Affected Zeroize derive Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.1.1
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
zeroize_derive
 crates.io
< 1.1.1
1.1.1

References

NVD — CVE-2021-45706 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-45706
Zeroize derive Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/iqlusioninc/crates/issues/876
Zeroize derive Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/RustCrypto/utils/tree/master/zeroize/derive
raw.githubusercontent.com/rustsec/advisory-db... WEB
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rustsec/advisory-db/main/crates/zeroize_derive/RUSTSEC-2021-0115.md
rustsec.org/advisories/rustsec-... WEB
https://rustsec.org/advisories/RUSTSEC-2021-0115.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-45706?
CVE-2021-45706 is a security vulnerability in Zeroize derive involving Memory flaw in zeroize_derive under CWE-459: Incomplete Cleanup.
Which Zeroize derive versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.1.1 across affected packages: zeroize_derive.
What version fixes CVE-2021-45706?
Upgrading to 1.1.1 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is zeroize_derive affected?
Yes, zeroize_derive is affected in releases prior to 1.1.1. Upgrade your dependency to 1.1.1 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-45706?
CVE-2021-45706 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (CRITICAL) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2021-45706?
CVE-2021-45706 is classified under CWE-459: Incomplete Cleanup (The product does not properly "clean up" and remove temporary or supporting resources after they have been used.).
How can I check crates.io dependencies for CVE-2021-45706?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for zeroize_derive'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-c5hx-w945-j4pq",
  "modified" : "2022-01-07T18:29:04Z",
  "published" : "2022-01-06T22:08:33Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2021-45706" ],
  "summary" : "Memory flaw in zeroize_derive",
  "details" : "An issue was discovered in the zeroize_derive crate before 1.1.1 for Rust. Dropped memory is not zeroed out for an enum.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "crates.io",
      "name" : "zeroize_derive"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.1.1"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-45706"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/iqlusioninc/crates/issues/876"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/RustCrypto/utils/tree/master/zeroize/derive"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rustsec/advisory-db/main/crates/zeroize_derive/RUSTSEC-2021-0115.md"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://rustsec.org/advisories/RUSTSEC-2021-0115.html"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-459" ],
    "severity" : "CRITICAL",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2022-01-05T23:01:59Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2021-12-27T00:15:00Z"
  }
}