# CVE-2021-32471: Code injection in n/a

> Insufficient input validation in a theoretical Turing Machine implementation allows arbitrary code execution via crafted data, though it has no real-world implications.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 10 May 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wqw3-6p9p-84x8

## What is CVE-2021-32471?

CVE-2021-32471 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 10 May 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Insufficient input validation in the Marvin Minsky 1967 implementation of the Universal Turing Machine allows program users to execute arbitrary code via crafted data. For example, a tape head may have an unexpected location after the processing of input composed of As and Bs (instead of 0s and 1s). NOTE: the discoverer states "this vulnerability has no real-world implications."

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-32471?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Mit Universal Turing Machine.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-32471?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-32471 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-32471 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-32471 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- A Python program implementing and exploiting the Minsky Turing machine considered in the paper "Intrinsic Propensity for Vulnerability in Computers? Arbitrary Code Execution in the Universal Turing Machine" as per CVE-2021-32471 (https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-32471) (github_poc): https://github.com/intrinsic-propensity/turing-machine

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-32471 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-32471 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 10 May 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-32471 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32471/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32471/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-32471
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-32471
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-32471

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32471/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.