CVE-2021-42694
Description
An issue was discovered in the character definitions of the Unicode Specification through 14.0. The specification allows an adversary to produce source code identifiers such as function names using homoglyphs that render visually identical to a target identifier. Adversaries can leverage this to inject code via adversarial identifier definitions in upstream software dependencies invoked deceptively in downstream software. NOTE: the Unicode Consortium offers the following alternative approach to presenting this concern. An issue is noted in the nature of international text that can affect applications that implement support for The Unicode Standard (all versions). Unless mitigated, an adversary could produce source code identifiers using homoglyph characters that render visually identical to but are distinct from a target identifier. In this way, an adversary could inject adversarial identifier definitions in upstream software that are not detected by human reviewers and are invoked deceptively in downstream software. The Unicode Consortium has documented this class of security vulnerability in its document, Unicode Technical Report #36, Unicode Security Considerations. The Unicode Consortium also provides guidance on mitigations for this class of issues in Unicode Technical Standard #39, Unicode Security Mechanisms.
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Affected products
5- The Unicode Consortium/Unicode Specificationdescription
- Range: <=14.0
Patches
Vulnerability mechanics
References
10- www.scyon.nl/post/trojans-in-your-source-codenvdExploitThird Party Advisory
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/11/01/1nvdMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/11/01/6nvdMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode14.0.0/nvdRelease NotesVendor Advisory
- cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1007.htmlnvdThird Party Advisory
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/202210-09nvdThird Party Advisory
- trojansource.codesnvdThird Party Advisory
- www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/999008nvdThird Party AdvisoryUS Government Resource
- www.unicode.org/reports/tr36/nvdTechnical DescriptionVendor Advisory
- www.unicode.org/reports/tr39/nvdTechnical DescriptionVendor Advisory
News mentions
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