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Fencer Intel
critical 9.8

CVE-2025-53888 json

RIOT-OS has an ineffective size check that can lead to buffer overflow in link layer address filter /sys/net/link_layer/l2filter/l2filter.c

published last yr. modified 4mo ago also EUVD-2025-21893

cvss
9.8
version 3.1, NVD
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
0.9%
EPSS 0.9% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 58%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

RIOT-OS, an operating system that supports Internet of Things devices, has an ineffective size check implemented with `assert()` can lead to buffer overflow in versions up to and including 2025.04. Assertions are usually compiled out in production builds. If assertions are the only defense against untrusted inputs, the software may be exposed to attacks that utilize the lack of proper input checks. In the `l2filter_add()` function shown below, `addr_len` is checked using an assertion and is subsequently used as an argument in a `memcpy()` call. When assertions are disabled, there would be no size check for `addr_len`. As a consequence, if an attacker were to provide an `addr_len` value larger than `CONFIG_L2FILTER_ADDR_MAXLEN`, they can trigger a buffer overflow and write past the `list[i].addr` buffer. If the unchecked input is attacker-controlled, the impact of the buffer overflow can range from a denial of service to arbitrary code execution. Commit f6f7de4ccc107c018630e4c15500825caf02e1c2 contains a patch for the vulnerability.

Patch / fix

Is CVE-2025-53888 in your stack? Fencer shows which of your repositories are affected as soon as an advisory lands, and opens the fix as a pull request.

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CISA SSVC

Exploitation
none
Automatable
yes
Technical impact
partial
Assessed
last yr.

Exploit prediction

0.86% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 58% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-09).

Exploits and checks

  • github.com https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/security/advisories/GHSA-7972-w7f9-3j9m referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CNA 4.0 6.6 CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U
CNA 4.0 6.6 CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
NVD 3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

  • RIOT-OS RIOT

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-120 Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input

References

Sources

Fencer Intel keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.

CPEs and fixed versions use Anchore's correction of NVD's data: Added CPE configurations because not yet analyzed by NVD.