CVE-2021-28035
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in the stack_dst Rust crate allows use-after-free of uninitialized memory when a panic occurs during cloning operations. This can lead to memory corruption and potential remote code execution. Any Rust application using stack_dst versions before 0.6.1 is affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Rust applications using stack_dst crate
📦 What is this software?
Stack Dst by Stack Dst Project
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or ransomware deployment.
Likely Case
Application crashes, denial of service, or memory corruption leading to unpredictable behavior.
If Mitigated
Controlled crashes with minimal data loss if proper memory isolation and sandboxing are implemented.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires triggering a panic during cloning operations, which can be achieved through crafted input. No public exploit code has been confirmed.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: stack_dst 0.6.1 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://rustsec.org/advisories/RUSTSEC-2021-0033.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Cargo.toml to require stack_dst >= 0.6.1
2. Run 'cargo update' to fetch the patched version
3. Rebuild and redeploy your application
4. Restart any running services using the vulnerable version
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Avoid panic-triggering inputs
allImplement input validation to prevent operations that could trigger panics during cloning
Use alternative data structures
allReplace stack_dst usage with standard Rust collections or other crates
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate affected applications in containers or VMs with minimal privileges
- Implement strict input validation and sanitization to prevent panic conditions
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Cargo.lock or run 'cargo tree | grep stack_dst' to see if version < 0.6.1 is usedCheck Version:
grep -A2 -B2 'stack_dst' Cargo.lockVerify Fix Applied:
Verify stack_dst version is >= 0.6.1 in Cargo.lock and test application with panic-inducing inputs📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes with panic messages
- Memory corruption errors in logs
- Unexpected process terminations
Network Indicators:
- Unusual traffic patterns to Rust applications
- Repeated connection attempts triggering crashes
SIEM Query:
process.name:"rust_app" AND (event.type:"crash" OR log.message:"panic" OR log.message:"stack_dst")