CVE-2021-40507

An issue was discovered in the ALU unit of the OR1200 (aka OpenRISC 1200) processor 2011-09-10 through 2015-11-11

Critical · published April 18, 2023

CVSS v3.1
9.8
EPSS
1%
Percentile
53.6
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

🔥 A sneaky miscalculation in the OR1200 processor's ALU unit could lead to some mind-blowingly incorrect results! Think of this as a chef who misreads a recipe and adds salt instead of sugar—it might not seem like a big deal at first, but it sure can ruin the whole dish! Similarly, if software depends on the overflow flag, it could lead to catastrophic corruption in execution, just like that unpalatable meal. An attacker could exploit this overflow flag miscalculation, causing software relying on it to behave erratically or even crash entirely. The consequences could be absolutely devastating for systems that demand high reliability, leading to data loss and potential service outages. This is a critical vulnerability that demands immediate attention!

Put simply

Think of this as a chef who misreads a recipe and adds salt instead of sugar—it might not seem like a big deal at first, but it sure can ruin the whole dish! Similarly, if software depends on the overflow flag, it could lead to catastrophic corruption in execution, just like that unpalatable meal. This vulnerability arises from the OR1200 processor's ALU unit failing to correctly update the overflow flag during subtract instructions. As a result, any software that depends on accurate overflow detection may execute with corrupted values, potentially leading to serious operational issues.

What to do

An attacker could exploit this overflow flag miscalculation, causing software relying on it to behave erratically or even crash entirely. The consequences could be absolutely devastating for systems that demand high reliability, leading to data loss and potential service outages. This is a critical vulnerability that demands immediate attention! To mitigate this vulnerability, ensure that your systems running the OR1200 processor are updated with the latest firmware or patches that address this issue. Additionally, review and test any software using the overflow flag to ensure it can handle incorrect values gracefully. Stay vigilant! You've got this! With the right steps, you can reinforce your systems and keep everything running smoothly! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
9.8 · CRITICAL
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.00728 · 53.6th percentile
Published
2023-04-18T00:00Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 18 APR 00:00Z
    An issue was discovered in the ALU unit of the OR1200 (aka OpenRISC 1200) processor 2011-09-10 through 2015-11-11
    cvelistv5