CVE-2021-20038 SonicWall SMA 100 Appliances: memory-safety flaw
In plain words: The program mishandles the memory it uses to keep track of data. A specially made input can scramble that memory. Usually lets an attacker crash the program or run their own code with its permissions.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Feb 11, 2022
What to do
- Install SonicWall's security update for SMA 100 Appliances. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
- Never expose the device's admin page to the internet.
- After patching a device that was exposed, follow the vendor's compromise checks, end active sessions and change passwords.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: They face the internet and guard the whole network, so a flaw here can hand attackers a way in — and these devices usually run no antivirus, so break-ins go unnoticed.
The details
- Official name
- SonicWall SMA 100 Appliances Stack-Based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability
- Product
- SonicWall SMA 100 Appliances
- CISA description
- SonicWall SMA 100 devies are vulnerable to an unauthenticated stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability where exploitation can result in code execution.
- Type of flaw
- Memory-safety flaw (CWE-121)
- Confirmed exploited
- Jan 28, 2022 — known to be used in ransomware attacks
- US federal patch deadline
- Feb 11, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2021-20038 ·
Questions about CVE-2021-20038
Is CVE-2021-20038 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2021-20038 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Jan 28, 2022, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks, including by ransomware groups.
How do I fix CVE-2021-20038?
Install SonicWall's security update for SMA 100 Appliances. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
Am I affected by CVE-2021-20038?
Only if you use SonicWall SMA 100 Appliances. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.