CVE-2021-3491: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-q4c9-gg27-f3pq
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CWE-787
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2021-3491 is a HIGH security vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The weakness occurs when the product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2021-3491 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2021-3491
GHSA Identifier GHSA-q4c9-gg27-f3pq
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write
Affected Product Software
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2021-3491

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

Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

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

mvn dependency:tree

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2021-3491, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree

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

Note: The mvn dependency:tree command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write, where the product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer. In Software, 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

The io_uring subsystem in the Linux kernel allowed the MAX_RW_COUNT limit to be bypassed in the PROVIDE_BUFFERS operation, which led to negative values being usedin mem_rw when reading /proc/<PID>/mem. This could be used to create a heap overflow leading to arbitrary code execution in the kernel. It was addressed via commit d1f82808877b ("io_uring: truncate lengths larger than MAX_RW_COUNT on provide buffers") (v5.13-rc1) and backported to the stable kernels in v5.12.4, v5.11.21, and v5.10.37. It was introduced in ddf0322db79c ("io_uring: add IORING_OP_PROVIDE_BUFFERS") (v5.7-rc1).

References

NVD — CVE-2021-3491 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-3491
git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kerne... WEB
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=d1f82808877bb10d3deee7cf3374a4eb3fb582db
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210716-0004
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-4949-1
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-4950-1
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/05/11/13
www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/zdi-21-5... WEB
https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-21-589

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-3491?
CVE-2021-3491 is a security vulnerability in Software classified as a security vulnerability vulnerability under CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write.
Which Software versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches.
What version fixes CVE-2021-3491?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2021-3491?
CVE-2021-3491 is classified under CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write (The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2021-3491?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree'. 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-q4c9-gg27-f3pq",
  "modified" : "2022-05-24T19:04:07Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-24T19:04:07Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2021-3491" ],
  "details" : "The io_uring subsystem in the Linux kernel allowed the MAX_RW_COUNT limit to be bypassed in the PROVIDE_BUFFERS operation, which led to negative values being usedin mem_rw when reading /proc/<PID>/mem. This could be used to create a heap overflow leading to arbitrary code execution in the kernel. It was addressed via commit d1f82808877b (\"io_uring: truncate lengths larger than MAX_RW_COUNT on provide buffers\") (v5.13-rc1) and backported to the stable kernels in v5.12.4, v5.11.21, and v5.10.37. It was introduced in ddf0322db79c (\"io_uring: add IORING_OP_PROVIDE_BUFFERS\") (v5.7-rc1).",
  "severity" : [ ],
  "affected" : [ ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
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  }, {
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  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210716-0004"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-4949-1"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-4950-1"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/05/11/13"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-21-589"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-787" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : false,
    "github_reviewed_at" : null,
    "nvd_published_at" : "2021-06-04T02:15:00Z"
  }
}