GCVE Workshop - 22 September 2026 (14:00-18:00), Luxembourg Before The Vulnopticon Conference - Registration

CVE-2026-15892 (GCVE-0-2026-15892)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-09-13 22:46 – Updated: 2026-09-14 11:19
VLAI
Title
Heap memory leak in mcumgr settings-management handlers on access-hook rejection leads to denial of service
Summary
The mcumgr SMP settings-management group handlers settings_mgmt_read(), settings_mgmt_write(), and settings_mgmt_delete() in subsys/mgmt/mcumgr/grp/settings_mgmt/src/settings_mgmt.c allocate a key_name buffer (and, for read, a data buffer) via k_malloc() when CONFIG_MCUMGR_GRP_SETTINGS_BUFFER_TYPE_HEAP is enabled, relying on the end: label to k_free() them. When CONFIG_MCUMGR_GRP_SETTINGS_ACCESS_HOOK is also enabled and the application access hook rejects a request by returning status MGMT_CB_ERROR_RC, the handler executed return ret_rc; directly, bypassing end: and leaking the heap allocation on every rejected request. The settings handlers are reachable over the unauthenticated SMP transport (Bluetooth LE, UART, or UDP, depending on product configuration). The access hook is the mechanism applications use to deny unauthorized settings access, and MGMT_CB_ERROR_RC is a common rejection style, so an attacker who can send settings read/write/delete commands that the hook rejects triggers a heap leak on each attempt. Because the leaked memory is never reclaimed until reboot, a sustained stream of rejected requests monotonically exhausts the kernel heap until k_malloc() fails, denying mcumgr service and impacting any other heap consumer on the device — a denial of service. The impact is availability-only; there is no memory corruption or information disclosure. Only configurations that select the heap buffer type, enable the access hook, and register a hook that returns MGMT_CB_ERROR_RC are affected (the default stack buffer type cannot leak).
SSVC
Exploitation: none Automatable: yes Technical Impact: partial
CISA Coordinator · CISA-ADP (v2.0.3)
Decision recorded 2026-09-14 11:12 UTC
CWE
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
zephyrproject zephyr Affected: 3.5.0 , < 4.4.2 (semver)
guessed Create a notification for this product.
Show details on NVD website

{
  "containers": {
    "adp": [
      {
        "metrics": [
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "id": "CVE-2026-15892",
                "options": [
                  {
                    "Exploitation": "none"
                  },
                  {
                    "Automatable": "yes"
                  },
                  {
                    "Technical Impact": "partial"
                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2026-09-14T11:12:07.138938Z",
                "version": "2.0.3"
              },
              "type": "ssvc"
            }
          }
        ],
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2026-09-14T11:19:51.194Z",
          "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
          "shortName": "CISA-ADP"
        },
        "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
      }
    ],
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "collectionURL": "https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr",
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "packageName": "zephyr",
          "product": "zephyr",
          "programFiles": [
            "subsys/mgmt/mcumgr/grp/settings_mgmt/src/settings_mgmt.c"
          ],
          "programRoutines": [
            {
              "name": "settings_mgmt_delete"
            },
            {
              "name": "settings_mgmt_read"
            },
            {
              "name": "settings_mgmt_write"
            }
          ],
          "vendor": "zephyrproject",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "4.4.2",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "3.5.0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "The mcumgr SMP settings-management group handlers settings_mgmt_read(), settings_mgmt_write(), and settings_mgmt_delete() in subsys/mgmt/mcumgr/grp/settings_mgmt/src/settings_mgmt.c allocate a key_name buffer (and, for read, a data buffer) via k_malloc() when CONFIG_MCUMGR_GRP_SETTINGS_BUFFER_TYPE_HEAP is enabled, relying on the end: label to k_free() them. When CONFIG_MCUMGR_GRP_SETTINGS_ACCESS_HOOK is also enabled and the application access hook rejects a request by returning status MGMT_CB_ERROR_RC, the handler executed return ret_rc; directly, bypassing end: and leaking the heap allocation on every rejected request.\n\nThe settings handlers are reachable over the unauthenticated SMP transport (Bluetooth LE, UART, or UDP, depending on product configuration). The access hook is the mechanism applications use to deny unauthorized settings access, and MGMT_CB_ERROR_RC is a common rejection style, so an attacker who can send settings read/write/delete commands that the hook rejects triggers a heap leak on each attempt.\n\nBecause the leaked memory is never reclaimed until reboot, a sustained stream of rejected requests monotonically exhausts the kernel heap until k_malloc() fails, denying mcumgr service and impacting any other heap consumer on the device \u2014 a denial of service. The impact is availability-only; there is no memory corruption or information disclosure. Only configurations that select the heap buffer type, enable the access hook, and register a hook that returns MGMT_CB_ERROR_RC are affected (the default stack buffer type cannot leak)."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "baseScore": 5.3,
            "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "format": "CVSS"
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-401",
              "description": "dos",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-09-13T22:46:16.325Z",
        "orgId": "e2e69745-5e70-4e92-8431-deb5529a81ad",
        "shortName": "zephyr"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "name": "Fix commit",
          "tags": [
            "patch"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/commit/fabc488d5b44143e5bd70dd373182c4395a816b9"
        },
        {
          "name": "GHSA-rq68-wgv4-hcq3",
          "url": "https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/security/advisories/GHSA-rq68-wgv4-hcq3"
        }
      ],
      "title": "Heap memory leak in mcumgr settings-management handlers on access-hook rejection leads to denial of service",
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "cvelib 1.8.0"
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "e2e69745-5e70-4e92-8431-deb5529a81ad",
    "assignerShortName": "zephyr",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-15892",
    "datePublished": "2026-09-13T22:46:16.325Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-07-15T17:38:08.763Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-09-14T11:19:51.194Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "epss": {
      "cve": "CVE-2026-15892",
      "date": "2026-09-15",
      "epss": "0.00275",
      "percentile": "0.19942"
    },
    "nvd": "{\"cve\":{\"id\":\"CVE-2026-15892\",\"sourceIdentifier\":\"vulnerabilities@zephyrproject.org\",\"published\":\"2026-09-13T23:16:28.023\",\"lastModified\":\"2026-09-14T21:10:41.650\",\"vulnStatus\":\"Awaiting Analysis\",\"cveTags\":[],\"descriptions\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"The mcumgr SMP settings-management group handlers settings_mgmt_read(), settings_mgmt_write(), and settings_mgmt_delete() in subsys/mgmt/mcumgr/grp/settings_mgmt/src/settings_mgmt.c allocate a key_name buffer (and, for read, a data buffer) via k_malloc() when CONFIG_MCUMGR_GRP_SETTINGS_BUFFER_TYPE_HEAP is enabled, relying on the end: label to k_free() them. When CONFIG_MCUMGR_GRP_SETTINGS_ACCESS_HOOK is also enabled and the application access hook rejects a request by returning status MGMT_CB_ERROR_RC, the handler executed return ret_rc; directly, bypassing end: and leaking the heap allocation on every rejected request.\\n\\nThe settings handlers are reachable over the unauthenticated SMP transport (Bluetooth LE, UART, or UDP, depending on product configuration). The access hook is the mechanism applications use to deny unauthorized settings access, and MGMT_CB_ERROR_RC is a common rejection style, so an attacker who can send settings read/write/delete commands that the hook rejects triggers a heap leak on each attempt.\\n\\nBecause the leaked memory is never reclaimed until reboot, a sustained stream of rejected requests monotonically exhausts the kernel heap until k_malloc() fails, denying mcumgr service and impacting any other heap consumer on the device \u2014 a denial of service. The impact is availability-only; there is no memory corruption or information disclosure. Only configurations that select the heap buffer type, enable the access hook, and register a hook that returns MGMT_CB_ERROR_RC are affected (the default stack buffer type cannot leak).\"}],\"affected\":[{\"source\":\"vulnerabilities@zephyrproject.org\",\"affectedData\":[{\"vendor\":\"zephyrproject\",\"product\":\"zephyr\",\"defaultStatus\":\"unaffected\",\"collectionURL\":\"https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr\",\"packageName\":\"zephyr\",\"programFiles\":[\"subsys/mgmt/mcumgr/grp/settings_mgmt/src/settings_mgmt.c\"],\"programRoutines\":[{\"name\":\"settings_mgmt_delete\"},{\"name\":\"settings_mgmt_read\"},{\"name\":\"settings_mgmt_write\"}],\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"3.5.0\",\"lessThan\":\"4.4.2\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"affected\"}]}]}],\"metrics\":{\"cvssMetricV31\":[{\"source\":\"vulnerabilities@zephyrproject.org\",\"type\":\"Secondary\",\"cvssData\":{\"version\":\"3.1\",\"vectorString\":\"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L\",\"baseScore\":5.3,\"baseSeverity\":\"MEDIUM\",\"attackVector\":\"NETWORK\",\"attackComplexity\":\"LOW\",\"privilegesRequired\":\"NONE\",\"userInteraction\":\"NONE\",\"scope\":\"UNCHANGED\",\"confidentialityImpact\":\"NONE\",\"integrityImpact\":\"NONE\",\"availabilityImpact\":\"LOW\"},\"exploitabilityScore\":3.9,\"impactScore\":1.4}],\"ssvcV203\":[{\"source\":\"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0\",\"ssvcData\":{\"timestamp\":\"2026-09-14T11:12:07.138938Z\",\"id\":\"CVE-2026-15892\",\"options\":[{\"exploitation\":\"none\"},{\"automatable\":\"yes\"},{\"technicalImpact\":\"partial\"}],\"role\":\"CISA Coordinator\",\"version\":\"2.0.3\"}}]},\"weaknesses\":[{\"source\":\"vulnerabilities@zephyrproject.org\",\"type\":\"Secondary\",\"description\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"CWE-401\"}]}],\"references\":[{\"url\":\"https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/commit/fabc488d5b44143e5bd70dd373182c4395a816b9\",\"source\":\"vulnerabilities@zephyrproject.org\"},{\"url\":\"https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/security/advisories/GHSA-rq68-wgv4-hcq3\",\"source\":\"vulnerabilities@zephyrproject.org\"}]}}",
    "vulnrichment": {
      "containers": "{\"cna\": {\"title\": \"Heap memory leak in mcumgr settings-management handlers on access-hook rejection leads to denial of service\", \"metrics\": [{\"format\": \"CVSS\", \"cvssV3_1\": {\"version\": \"3.1\", \"baseScore\": 5.3, \"baseSeverity\": \"MEDIUM\", \"vectorString\": \"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L\"}}], \"affected\": [{\"vendor\": \"zephyrproject\", \"product\": \"zephyr\", \"versions\": [{\"status\": \"affected\", \"version\": \"3.5.0\", \"lessThan\": \"4.4.2\", \"versionType\": \"semver\"}], \"packageName\": \"zephyr\", \"programFiles\": [\"subsys/mgmt/mcumgr/grp/settings_mgmt/src/settings_mgmt.c\"], \"collectionURL\": \"https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr\", \"defaultStatus\": \"unaffected\", \"programRoutines\": [{\"name\": \"settings_mgmt_delete\"}, {\"name\": \"settings_mgmt_read\"}, {\"name\": \"settings_mgmt_write\"}]}], \"references\": [{\"url\": \"https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/commit/fabc488d5b44143e5bd70dd373182c4395a816b9\", \"name\": \"Fix commit\", \"tags\": [\"patch\"]}, {\"url\": \"https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/security/advisories/GHSA-rq68-wgv4-hcq3\", \"name\": \"GHSA-rq68-wgv4-hcq3\"}], \"x_generator\": {\"engine\": \"cvelib 1.8.0\"}, \"descriptions\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"value\": \"The mcumgr SMP settings-management group handlers settings_mgmt_read(), settings_mgmt_write(), and settings_mgmt_delete() in subsys/mgmt/mcumgr/grp/settings_mgmt/src/settings_mgmt.c allocate a key_name buffer (and, for read, a data buffer) via k_malloc() when CONFIG_MCUMGR_GRP_SETTINGS_BUFFER_TYPE_HEAP is enabled, relying on the end: label to k_free() them. When CONFIG_MCUMGR_GRP_SETTINGS_ACCESS_HOOK is also enabled and the application access hook rejects a request by returning status MGMT_CB_ERROR_RC, the handler executed return ret_rc; directly, bypassing end: and leaking the heap allocation on every rejected request.\\n\\nThe settings handlers are reachable over the unauthenticated SMP transport (Bluetooth LE, UART, or UDP, depending on product configuration). The access hook is the mechanism applications use to deny unauthorized settings access, and MGMT_CB_ERROR_RC is a common rejection style, so an attacker who can send settings read/write/delete commands that the hook rejects triggers a heap leak on each attempt.\\n\\nBecause the leaked memory is never reclaimed until reboot, a sustained stream of rejected requests monotonically exhausts the kernel heap until k_malloc() fails, denying mcumgr service and impacting any other heap consumer on the device \\u2014 a denial of service. The impact is availability-only; there is no memory corruption or information disclosure. Only configurations that select the heap buffer type, enable the access hook, and register a hook that returns MGMT_CB_ERROR_RC are affected (the default stack buffer type cannot leak).\"}], \"problemTypes\": [{\"descriptions\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"type\": \"CWE\", \"cweId\": \"CWE-401\", \"description\": \"dos\"}]}], \"providerMetadata\": {\"orgId\": \"e2e69745-5e70-4e92-8431-deb5529a81ad\", \"shortName\": \"zephyr\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2026-09-13T22:46:16.325Z\"}}, \"adp\": [{\"title\": \"CISA ADP Vulnrichment\", \"metrics\": [{\"other\": {\"type\": \"ssvc\", \"content\": {\"id\": \"CVE-2026-15892\", \"role\": \"CISA Coordinator\", \"options\": [{\"Exploitation\": \"none\"}, {\"Automatable\": \"yes\"}, {\"Technical Impact\": \"partial\"}], \"version\": \"2.0.3\", \"timestamp\": \"2026-09-14T11:12:07.138938Z\"}}}], \"providerMetadata\": {\"shortName\": \"CISA-ADP\", \"orgId\": \"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2026-09-14T11:14:55.476Z\"}}]}",
      "cveMetadata": "{\"cveId\": \"CVE-2026-15892\", \"state\": \"PUBLISHED\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2026-09-13T22:46:16.325Z\", \"dateReserved\": \"2026-07-15T17:38:08.763Z\", \"assignerOrgId\": \"e2e69745-5e70-4e92-8431-deb5529a81ad\", \"datePublished\": \"2026-09-13T22:46:16.325Z\", \"assignerShortName\": \"zephyr\"}",
      "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
      "dataVersion": "5.2"
    }
  }
}



Log in or create an account to share your comment.




Tags
Taxonomy of the tags.


Loading…

Loading…

Loading…

Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

Author Source Type Date Other

Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.

Loading…

Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.

Loading…

Loading…

Loading…