CVE-2021-41278: Broken encryption in EdgeX Foundry app-functions-sdk
Summary
CVE-2021-41278: Broken encryption in EdgeX Foundry. Affects github.com/edgexfoundry/app-functions-sdk-go/v2 versions < 2.1.0. Fixed in 2.1.0. How to fix ↓
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Background
EdgeX Foundry is an open-source framework for building IoT edge computing systems. The app-functions-sdk is a component of EdgeX Foundry that provides a set of functions and transforms for processing data in the edge computing pipeline. One of the transforms, called 'AES', is used for encryption of data. However, prior to the Jakarta release, the implementation of the 'AES' transform is broken, allowing attackers to decrypt messages through unspecified vectors.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability arises from the broken implementation of the 'AES' transform in the app-functions-sdk. The encryption provided by this transform is not as secure as expected, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data. The vulnerability affects versions of app-functions-sdk-go and app-service-configurable prior to v2.1.0. Users who do not use the 'AES' transform in their processing pipelines are unaffected. However, those who are affected are advised to upgrade to the Jakarta release and modify their processing pipelines to use the new 'aes256' transform.
How To Fix
Latest published version: v2.3.1 as of 22 Oct 2026
go get github.com/edgexfoundry/app-functions-sdk-go/v2@v2.3.1Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
2.1.0
This is the first release that contains the fix.
go get github.com/edgexfoundry/app-functions-sdk-go/v2@v2.1.0Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
If upgrading is not possible, users can change the processing pipeline to use an HTTPS (TLS 1.3) endpoint for exporting data and skip encryption.
Conclusion
The broken encryption vulnerability in the EdgeX Foundry app-functions-sdk can potentially lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data. Users are advised to upgrade to the Jakarta release and modify their processing pipelines to use the new 'aes256' transform. If upgrading is not possible, using an HTTPS endpoint for data export without encryption can serve as a workaround. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for github.com/edgexfoundry/app-functions-sdk-go/v2 →
FAQ
EdgeX Foundry is an open-source framework for building IoT edge computing systems. It provides a set of microservices and APIs for managing and processing data at the edge.
The app-functions-sdk is a component of EdgeX Foundry that provides a set of functions and transforms for processing data in the edge computing pipeline.
The 'AES' transform is a function provided by the app-functions-sdk for encrypting data in the processing pipeline. However, the implementation of this transform is broken in versions prior to Jakarta.
You can use Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability. Simply upload your Gopkg.lock file to the playground and it will alert you in real-time if any open-source vulnerabilities are found.
The CVSS score of this vulnerability is 5.4, indicating a moderate severity level.
