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CVE-2021-20235

There's a flaw in the zeromq server in versions before 4.3.3 in src/decoder_allocators.hpp. The...

8.1 HighFix available

There's a flaw in the zeromq server in versions before 4.3.3 in src/decoder_allocators.hpp. The decoder static allocator could have its sized changed, but the buffer would remain the same as it is a static buffer. A remote, unauthenticated attacker who sends a crafted request to the zeromq server could trigger a buffer overflow WRITE of arbitrary data if CURVE/ZAP authentication is not enabled. The greatest impact of this flaw is to application availability, data integrity, and confidentiality.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
High
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

43.9%Up 43.1 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

NVD Score used 8.1

There's a flaw in the zeromq server in versions before 4.3.3 in src/decoder_allocators.hpp. The decoder static allocator could have its sized changed, but the buffer would remain the same as it is a static buffer. A remote, unauthenticated attacker who sends a crafted request to the zeromq server could trigger a buffer overflow WRITE of arbitrary data if CURVE/ZAP authentication is not enabled. The greatest impact of this flaw is to application availability, data integrity, and confidentiality.

Record
CVE-2021-20235
CVSS 3.1
8.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
6.8 MediumAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Weakness
CWE-120, CWE-787
Updated
2026-11-02
CVE List No score

There's a flaw in the zeromq server in versions before 4.3.3 in src/decoder_allocators.hpp. The decoder static allocator could have its sized changed, but the buffer would remain the same as it is a static buffer. A remote, unauthenticated attacker who sends a crafted request to the zeromq server could trigger a buffer overflow WRITE of arbitrary data if CURVE/ZAP authentication is not enabled. The greatest impact of this flaw is to application availability, data integrity, and confidentiality.

Record
CVE-2021-20235
Weakness
CWE-120
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-7674 No score

There's a flaw in the zeromq server in versions before 4.3.3 in src/decoder_allocators.hpp. The decoder static allocator could have its sized changed, but the buffer would remain the same as it is a static buffer. A remote, unauthenticated attacker who sends a crafted request to the zeromq server could trigger a buffer overflow WRITE of arbitrary data if CURVE/ZAP authentication is not enabled. The greatest impact of this flaw is to application availability, data integrity, and confidentiality.

Record
EUVD-2021-7674
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-hrfc-mjc4-cv8f 8.1

There's a flaw in the zeromq server in versions before 4.3.3 in src/decoder_allocators.hpp. The...

There's a flaw in the zeromq server in versions before 4.3.3 in src/decoder_allocators.hpp. The decoder static allocator could have its sized changed, but the buffer would remain the same as it is a static buffer. A remote, unauthenticated attacker who sends a crafted request to the zeromq server could trigger a buffer overflow WRITE of arbitrary data if CURVE/ZAP authentication is not enabled. The greatest impact of this flaw is to application availability, data integrity, and confidentiality.

Record
GHSA-hrfc-mjc4-cv8f
CVSS 3.1
8.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-120, CWE-787
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVBELL-CVE-2021-20235 8.1

CVE-2021-20235 does not affect BellSoft software

Record
BELL-CVE-2021-20235
CVSS 3.1
8.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 8.1

There's a flaw in the zeromq server in versions before 4.3.3 in src/decoder_allocators.hpp. The decoder static allocator could have its sized changed, but the buffer would remain the same as it is a static buffer. A remote, unauthenticated attacker who sends a crafted request to the zeromq server could trigger a buffer overflow WRITE of arbitrary data if CURVE/ZAP authentication is not enabled. The greatest impact of this flaw is to application availability, data integrity, and confidentiality.

Record
CVE-2021-20235
CVSS 3.1
8.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
Show 4 moreShow less
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2021-20235 8.1

There's a flaw in the zeromq server in versions before 4.3.3 in src/decoder_allocators.hpp. The decoder static allocator could have its sized changed, but the buffer would remain the same as it is a static buffer. A remote, unauthenticated attacker who sends a crafted request to the zeromq server could trigger a buffer overflow WRITE of arbitrary data if CURVE/ZAP authentication is not enabled. The greatest impact of this flaw is to application availability, data integrity, and confidentiality.

Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2021-20235
CVSS 3.1
8.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVJLSEC-2026-515 8.1

There's a flaw in the zeromq server in versions before 4.3.3 in src/decoder_allocators.hpp. The decoder static allocator could have its sized changed, but the buffer would remain the same as it is a static buffer. A remote, unauthenticated attacker who sends a crafted request to the zeromq server could trigger a buffer overflow WRITE of arbitrary data if CURVE/ZAP authentication is not enabled. The greatest impact of this flaw is to application availability, data integrity, and confidentiality.

Record
JLSEC-2026-515
CVSS 3.1
8.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
6.8 MediumAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2021-20235 8.1

There's a flaw in the zeromq server in versions before 4.3.3 in src/decoder_allocators.hpp. The decoder static allocator could have its sized changed, but the buffer would remain the same as it is a static buffer. A remote, unauthenticated attacker who sends a crafted request to the zeromq server could trigger a buffer overflow WRITE of arbitrary data if CURVE/ZAP authentication is not enabled. The greatest impact of this flaw is to application availability, data integrity, and confidentiality.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2021-20235
CVSS 3.1
8.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUSN-4920-1 No score

zeromq3 vulnerabilities

It was discovered that ZeroMQ incorrectly handled certain application metadata. A remote attacker could use this issue to cause ZeroMQ to crash, or possibly execute arbitrary code. (CVE-2019-13132)

It was discovered that ZeroMQ mishandled certain network traffic. An unauthenticated attacker could use this vulnerability to cause a denial-of- service and prevent legitimate clients from communicating with ZeroMQ. (CVE-2020-15166)

It was discovered that ZeroMQ did not properly manage memory under certain circumstances. If a user or automated system were tricked into connecting to one or multiple compromised servers, a remote attacker could use this issue to cause a denial of service. (CVE-2021-20234)

It was discovered that ZeroMQ incorrectly handled memory when processing messages with arbitrarily large sizes under certain circumstances. A remote unauthenticated attacker could use this issue to cause a ZeroMQ server to crash, resulting in a denial of service, or possibly execute arbitrary code. This issue only affected Ubuntu 18.04 ESM and Ubuntu 20.04 ESM. (CVE-2021-20235)

It was discovered that ZeroMQ did not properly manage memory under certain circumstances. A remote unauthenticated attacker could use this issue to cause a ZeroMQ server to crash, resulting in a denial of service. This issue only affected Ubuntu 18.04 ESM and Ubuntu 20.04 ESM. (CVE-2021-20237)

Record
USN-4920-1
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
zeromq3
Debian:12
before 4.3.3-1
4.3.3-1
zeromq3
Debian:13
before 4.3.3-1
4.3.3-1
zeromq3
Debian:14
before 4.3.3-1
4.3.3-1
zeromq3
Debian:9
From an advisory covering 2 CVEs
before 4.2.1-4+deb9u4, plus listed versions
4.2.1-44.2.1-4+deb9u14.2.1-4+deb9u24.2.1-4+deb9u3
4.2.1-4+deb9u4
ZeroMQ_jll
Julia
before 4.3.4+0
4.3.4+0
zeromq3
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS
before 4.2.5-1ubuntu0.2+esm2, plus listed versions
4.2.1-4ubuntu14.2.2-1ubuntu24.2.3-14.2.3-1build14.2.5-14.2.5-1ubuntu0.14.2.5-1ubuntu0.24.2.5-1ubuntu0.2+esm1
4.2.5-1ubuntu0.2+esm2
zeromq3
Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS
before 4.3.2-2ubuntu1.20.04.1~esm2, plus listed versions
4.3.2-14.3.2-24.3.2-2ubuntu14.3.2-2ubuntu1.20.04.1~esm1
4.3.2-2ubuntu1.20.04.1~esm2
zeromq3
Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS
From an advisory covering 5 CVEs
before 4.0.4+dfsg-2ubuntu0.1+esm3, plus listed versions
3.2.3+dfsg-23.2.4+dfsg-13.2.4+dfsg-23.2.4+dfsg-33.2.4+dfsg-4
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4.0.3+dfsg-14.0.4+dfsg-24.0.4+dfsg-2ubuntu0.14.0.4+dfsg-2ubuntu0.1+esm14.0.4+dfsg-2ubuntu0.1+esm2
4.0.4+dfsg-2ubuntu0.1+esm3
zeromq3
Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS
From an advisory covering 5 CVEs
before 4.1.4-7ubuntu0.1+esm2, plus listed versions
4.0.5+dfsg-3ubuntu1~gcc5.14.0.5+dfsg-3ubuntu24.1.4-74.1.4-7ubuntu0.14.1.4-7ubuntu0.1+esm1
4.1.4-7ubuntu0.1+esm2
zeromq3
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS
From an advisory covering 5 CVEs
before 4.2.5-1ubuntu0.2+esm2, plus listed versions
4.2.1-4ubuntu14.2.2-1ubuntu24.2.3-14.2.3-1build14.2.5-14.2.5-1ubuntu0.14.2.5-1ubuntu0.24.2.5-1ubuntu0.2+esm1
4.2.5-1ubuntu0.2+esm2
zeromq3
Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS
From an advisory covering 5 CVEs
before 4.3.2-2ubuntu1.20.04.1~esm2, plus listed versions
4.3.2-14.3.2-24.3.2-2ubuntu14.3.2-2ubuntu1.20.04.1~esm1
4.3.2-2ubuntu1.20.04.1~esm2

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
affected, facts
aliases, productsEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2021-20235 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.1) in Microsoft Zeromq, published March 9, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 43.9%, the 98th percentile. Fixed in zeromq3 4.3.3-1.

References

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