CVE-2026-11810
NULL-pointer dereference in UpdateHub OTA agent on empty inner metadata array (remote DoS)
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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
7.5
NULL-pointer dereference in UpdateHub OTA agent on empty inner metadata array (remote DoS)
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-11810- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-476
- Updated
- 2026-11-04
EUVDEUVD-2026-55805
7.5
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.
- Record
EUVD-2026-55805- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-04
NVD
7.5
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-11810- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-476
- Updated
- 2026-11-04
OSV
7.5
NULL-pointer dereference in UpdateHub OTA agent on empty inner metadata array (remote DoS)
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-11810- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-476
- Updated
- 2026-11-05
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| facts | CVE List | |
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-11810 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.5) in Zephyrproject Zephyr, published August 10, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.47%, the 40th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/commit/3424082022cb39d568434021b1d6f68b6a7fb3bf
github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/security/advisories/GHSA-jfpc-324j-84ww
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/11xxx/CVE-2026-11810.json
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-11810
github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr