CVE-2021-4239
Published: 27 December 2022
Summary
CVE-2021-4239 is a high-severity Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data (CWE-311) vulnerability in Noiseprotocol Noise. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).
Operationally, ranked at the 31.4th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2022-7529
Vulnerability details
The Noise protocol implementation suffers from weakened cryptographic security after encrypting 2^64 messages, and a potential denial of service attack. After 2^64 (~18.4 quintillion) messages are encrypted with the Encrypt function, the nonce counter will wrap around, causing multiple messages…
more
to be encrypted with the same key and nonce. In a separate issue, the Decrypt function increments the nonce state even when it fails to decrypt a message. If an attacker can provide an invalid input to the Decrypt function, this will cause the nonce state to desynchronize between the peers, resulting in a failure to encrypt all subsequent messages.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Privacy and security training stresses encryption of sensitive data, reducing missing encryption weaknesses.
Exchange agreements must document security requirements, which would include encryption to protect sensitive data in transit.
The map highlights data actions that involve sensitive data, enabling identification of missing encryption requirements.
Settings can require encryption of sensitive data, preventing missing encryption weaknesses.
Architectures must describe confidentiality protections, which includes mandating encryption for sensitive data in transit and at rest.
Privacy and security curricula stress encryption requirements, reducing missing encryption of sensitive data.
Requires encryption and similar controls for CUI processed or stored externally, preventing missing encryption of sensitive data.
Monitoring detects missing encryption of sensitive data in storage or transit configurations.