Uclibc
CVE-2021-43523
CRITICAL
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization Output encoding, context-aware escaping
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 2 tactics: Initial Access, Execution The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Impact | CVSS score of 9.6 (CRITICAL). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required. Public proof-of-concept exploit code is available. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | A remote attacker could inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users by sending crafted requests to the affected application. No authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability. |
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Alert meAnalysisAI
In uClibc and uClibc-ng before 1.0.39, incorrect handling of special characters in domain names returned by DNS servers via gethostbyname, getaddrinfo, gethostbyaddr, and getnameinfo can lead to. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.6), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available.
RemediationAI
A vendor patch is available. Apply the latest security update as soon as possible. Sanitize all user input, use Content-Security-Policy headers, encode output contextually (HTML, JS, URL). Use frameworks with built-in XSS protection.
Affects your stack
Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
This vulnerability is classified as Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) (CWE-79), which allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. In uClibc and uClibc-ng before 1.0.39, incorrect handling of special characters in domain names returned by DNS servers via gethostbyname, getaddrinfo, gethostbyaddr, and getnameinfo can lead to output of wrong hostnames (leading to domain hijacking) or injection into applications (leading to remote code execution, XSS, applications crashes, etc.). In other words, a validation step, which is expected in any stub resolver, does not occur. Affected products include: Uclibc, Uclibc-Ng Project Uclibc-Ng. Version information: before 1.0.39.
Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.
CVSS VectorNVD
DescriptionNVD
In uClibc and uClibc-ng before 1.0.39, incorrect handling of special characters in domain names returned by DNS servers via gethostbyname, getaddrinfo, gethostbyaddr, and getnameinfo can lead to output of wrong hostnames (leading to domain hijacking) or injection into applications (leading to remote code execution, XSS, applications crashes, etc.). In other words, a validation step, which is expected in any stub resolver, does not occur.
Threat Intelligence Overview
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
GitHub
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Cross-Site Scripting occurs when an application accepts untrusted data and sends it to a web browser without proper validation or encoding.
Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.
Affected Products (CPE)NVD
A memory corruption vulnerability exists in the libpthread linuxthreads functionality of uClibC 0.9.33.2 and uClibC-ng 1
In uClibc 0.9.33.2, there is an out-of-bounds read in the get_subexp function in misc/regex/regexec.c when processing a
Integer signedness error in libc/string/arm/memset.S in uClibc and uClibc-ng before 1.0.16 allows context-dependent atta
In uClibc 0.9.33.2, there is stack exhaustion (uncontrolled recursion) in the check_dst_limits_calc_pos_1 function in mi
uClibc-ng through 1.0.40 and uClibc through 0.9.33.2 use predictable DNS transaction IDs that may lead to DNS cache pois
Exploit-DB