The UpdateHub firmware-update agent's probe handler (z_impl_updatehub_probe() in subsys/mgmt/updatehub/updatehub.c) parses the JSON metadata returned by the update server into a fixed two-level nested-array struct. After parsing it validates only the outer array length (objects_len != 2) and then dereferences objects[1].objects[0].objects.sha256sum via strlen() without checking that the inner object array of element [1] is non-empty. The metadata is attacker-influenceable network input: the agent fetches it over CoAP from the configured UpdateHub server during its routine OTA probe. A malicious or compromised update server (or, when DTLS is disabled, a network man-in-the-middle) can return a response whose second outer object array is empty. Because the parse target is zero-initialised, the corresponding objects[1].objects[0].objects.sha256sum pointer is NULL, and the subsequent strlen() dereferences address zero. The same defect exists in both the 'any boards' and 'some boards' metadata layouts. The resulting CPU fault is fatal under Zephyr's default error handling, halting or resetting the device, so the flaw is a remotely triggerable denial of service. Impact is limited to availability; it is a read from NULL with no out-of-bounds write, memory corruption, or information disclosure. The fix rejects metadata whose inner object array is empty before any dereference, on both layouts.
This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.5, indicating it can be exploited remotely over the network with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction and does not require pre-existing privileges . The vulnerability impacts and availability (service disruption) for affected systems.
Reported in 2026, this vulnerability emerged during an era marked by increased sophistication in supply chain attacks, cloud infrastructure vulnerabilities, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) security challenges. Security practices during this period emphasized zero-trust architectures, container security, and API protection.
2026-08-10T21:17:19.223
2026-08-26T16:59:23.267
Awaiting Analysis
CVSSv3.1: 7.5 (HIGH)
-
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For affected software, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.