CVE-2021-41173Network attack vector

Node crash via unchecked trie path handling

Published Oct 26, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Improper input validation in Geth before 1.10.9 allows remote attackers with a snap/1 peer connection to crash the node. The snap request handler passes a nonexistent trie path to trie.TryGetNode, which reaches path completion with a nil node before the old nil case can run. The peer must negotiate snap/1 and send a crafted GetTrieNodes request; the demonstrated consequence is a process panic and node outage.

CVSS severity5.7
Medium
EPSS probability1.24%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper input validation in Geth before 1.10.9 allows remote attackers with a snap/1 peer connection to crash the node. The snap request handler passes a nonexistent trie path to trie.TryGetNode, which reaches path completion with a nil node before the old nil case can run. The peer must negotiate snap/1 and send a crafted GetTrieNodes request; the demonstrated consequence is a process panic and node outage.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-41173
Published
Oct 26, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Ethereum Foundation
Product
go-ethereum
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 26, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 1.10.9

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Ethereum Foundation · go-ethereumversion=< 1.10.9

Published CVSS scores

5.7GitLab Advisory DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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