Highly exploitable, CVE-2021-42146 poses a critical security risk that could lead to severe breaches.
Status: Modified
Last updated: 🕗 20 Jun 2025, 20:15 UTC
Originally published on: 🕖 24 Jan 2024, 19:15 UTC
Time between publication and last update: 513 days
CVSS Release: version 3
nvd@nist.gov
Primary
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
CVE-2021-42146: An issue was discovered in Contiki-NG tinyDTLS through master branch 53a0d97. DTLS servers allow remote attackers to reuse the same epoch number within two times the TCP maximum segment lifetime, which is prohibited in RFC6347. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive application (data of connected clients).
The exploitability of CVE-2021-42146 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).
With low attack complexity and no required privileges, CVE-2021-42146 is an easy target for cybercriminals. Organizations should prioritize immediate mitigation measures to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.
A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.
Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.
Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.
Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2021-42146, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.
Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2021-42146, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.
The EPSS score estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the near future.
EPSS Score: 0.121% (probability of exploit)
EPSS Percentile: 47.93%
(lower percentile = lower relative risk)
This vulnerability is less risky than approximately 52.07% of others.
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