CVE-2026-12634
Out-of-bounds stack write in the settings NVS backend from over-reported nvs_read length
Published Aug 19, 2026
CVSS 3.1 · 5.3 Medium
EPSS < 1%
KEV · Not listed
Description
The NVS backend of the Zephyr settings subsystem (subsys/settings/src/settings_nvs.c) reads stored setting-name entries into fixed 74-byte stack buffers and NUL-terminates them with buf[rc] = '\0', where rc is the return value of nvs_read(). Per its contract, nvs_read() returns the full stored entry length (wlk_ate.len), which can exceed the supplied buffer length — only MIN(len, stored_len) bytes are actually copied, but the return value may be much larger, bounded only by the NVS sector size. Three sites (settings_nvs_cache_match(), settings_nvs_load(), and settings_nvs_save()) used this value directly as the NUL index without clamping, so an oversized stored name entry causes a single \0 byte to be written past the end of the stack buffer at an attacker-influenced offset (CWE-787).
The oversized entry cannot arise through the normal settings API, where names are bounded by SETTINGS_MAX_NAME_LEN. It requires an actor able to write the flash that backs the settings partition — a co-resident or untrusted component sharing the flash device, a malicious settings image/restore, or offline/physical flash access (a shared-flash threat model). The malformed entry is parsed when settings_load() runs at boot or subsystem init, or during settings_save().
The out-of-bounds write is a single NUL byte at an offset equal to the crafted entry length (up to the NVS sector size), so the practical impact is a crash or denial of service and limited stack corruption rather than reliable code execution. There is no confidentiality impact, and the path is not reachable from the network through the ordinary settings interface. The fix skips any entry whose nvs_read() length is greater than or equal to the buffer size before performing the NUL store.
The oversized entry cannot arise through the normal settings API, where names are bounded by SETTINGS_MAX_NAME_LEN. It requires an actor able to write the flash that backs the settings partition — a co-resident or untrusted component sharing the flash device, a malicious settings image/restore, or offline/physical flash access (a shared-flash threat model). The malformed entry is parsed when settings_load() runs at boot or subsystem init, or during settings_save().
The out-of-bounds write is a single NUL byte at an offset equal to the crafted entry length (up to the NVS sector size), so the practical impact is a crash or denial of service and limited stack corruption rather than reliable code execution. There is no confidentiality impact, and the path is not reachable from the network through the ordinary settings interface. The fix skips any entry whose nvs_read() length is greater than or equal to the buffer size before performing the NUL store.
Affected Products
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CVE record
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NVD configurations
No data
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Red Hat packages
No data
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OpenCVE enrichment
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | |||||||||
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| zephyrproject | zephyr | unaffected |
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No data.
No data.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | ||||||||
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| Zephyrproject | Zephyr |
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Remediation
Tracking
Advisories
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0
Attack Vector Local
Attack Complexity High
Privileges Required Low
Scope Unchanged
Confidentiality Impact None
Integrity Impact Low
Availability Impact High
User Interaction None
No CVSS v3.0
No CVSS v2
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
Exploit prediction score: < 1% (0.137% probability within 30 days)
Exploitation none
Automatable no
Technical Impact partial
References
History
Aug 21, 2026 4:30 PM
Scoring metrics updated
View changes
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Metrics |
ssvc
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Aug 20, 2026 1:15 AM
First appearance in the feed. Affected vendors updated
View changes
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| First Time appeared |
Zephyrproject
Zephyrproject zephyr |
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| Vendors & Products |
Zephyrproject
Zephyrproject zephyr |
Aug 19, 2026 9:00 PM
Description updated. Title updated. Weaknesses updated. Added references. Scoring metrics updated
View changes
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | The NVS backend of the Zephyr settings subsystem (subsys/settings/src/settings_nvs.c) reads stored setting-name entries into fixed 74-byte stack buffers and NUL-terminates them with buf[rc] = '\0', where rc is the return value of nvs_read(). Per its contract, nvs_read() returns the full stored entry length (wlk_ate.len), which can exceed the supplied buffer length — only MIN(len, stored_len) bytes are actually copied, but the return value may be much larger, bounded only by the NVS sector size. Three sites (settings_nvs_cache_match(), settings_nvs_load(), and settings_nvs_save()) used this value directly as the NUL index without clamping, so an oversized stored name entry causes a single \0 byte to be written past the end of the stack buffer at an attacker-influenced offset (CWE-787). The oversized entry cannot arise through the normal settings API, where names are bounded by SETTINGS_MAX_NAME_LEN. It requires an actor able to write the flash that backs the settings partition — a co-resident or untrusted component sharing the flash device, a malicious settings image/restore, or offline/physical flash access (a shared-flash threat model). The malformed entry is parsed when settings_load() runs at boot or subsystem init, or during settings_save(). The out-of-bounds write is a single NUL byte at an offset equal to the crafted entry length (up to the NVS sector size), so the practical impact is a crash or denial of service and limited stack corruption rather than reliable code execution. There is no confidentiality impact, and the path is not reachable from the network through the ordinary settings interface. The fix skips any entry whose nvs_read() length is greater than or equal to the buffer size before performing the NUL store. | |
| Title | Out-of-bounds stack write in the settings NVS backend from over-reported nvs_read length | |
| Weaknesses | CWE-787 | |
| References |
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| Metrics |
cvssV3_1
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Subscriptions
Weaknesses
