CVE-2021-42219Network attack vector

Node crash via invalid Ethash DAG memory read

Published Mar 16, 2022 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Invalid-memory access in Ethereum Go-Ethereum 1.10.9 and earlier allows remote attackers to crash a node through excessive peer messages. The Ethash DAG-generation path in ethash/algorithm.go reads invalid memory when multiple nodes are driven into DAG generation, raising SIGBUS and terminating the process. Exploitation requires unauthenticated network access to the peer protocol and a message sequence that reaches this path; no data disclosure or modification is reported.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Invalid-memory access in Ethereum Go-Ethereum 1.10.9 and earlier allows remote attackers to crash a node through excessive peer messages. The Ethash DAG-generation path in ethash/algorithm.go reads invalid memory when multiple nodes are driven into DAG generation, raising SIGBUS and terminating the process. Exploitation requires unauthenticated network access to the peer protocol and a message sequence that reaches this path; no data disclosure or modification is reported.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-42219
Published
Mar 16, 2022
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-400, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 16, 2022CVE 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.5GitHub Advisory DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/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

CWE-400Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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