CVE-2021-42694

environment: Homoglyph characters can lead to trojan source attack

Published Nov 1, 2021 CVSS 3.1 · 8.3 High EPSS 4.9% KEV · Not listed
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.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories available
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics epss

{'score': 0.12472}

epss

{'score': 0.08253}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics epss

{'score': 0.15886}

epss

{'score': 0.12472}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-1007
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-94
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
mitre
Published
Updated
Oct 29, 2024, 1:41 PM
Reserved
Oct 18, 2021, 12:00 AM
Status
Modified
Published
Nov 1, 2021, 4:15 AM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 4:09 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Nov 1, 2021, 12:00 AM