CVE-2021-28876Public exploit

Memory corruption via repeated unchecked Zip access

Published Apr 11, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Memory-safety flaw in the Rust standard library before 1.52.0 allows attackers to create conflicting mutable references through Zip. In Zip::next(), the TrustedRandomAccess specialization increments self.index only after the first unchecked iterator access, so a panic leaves the index unchanged and a later next() reads that index again. Triggering the flaw requires an underlying iterator to panic and the Zip iterator to be used again; the resulting contract violation creates two mutable references to the same memory and causes undefined behavior.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability1.57%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory-safety flaw in the Rust standard library before 1.52.0 allows attackers to create conflicting mutable references through Zip. In Zip::next(), the TrustedRandomAccess specialization increments self.index only after the first unchecked iterator access, so a panic leaves the index unchanged and a later next() reads that index again. Triggering the flaw requires an underlying iterator to panic and the Zip iterator to be used again; the resulting contract violation creates two mutable references to the same memory and causes undefined behavior.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-28876
Published
Apr 11, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-755
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 11, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

4.3NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
5.3NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
VectorUnavailable
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-755Improper Handling of Exceptional Conditions

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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