Security assessments indicate that CVE-2026-18746 presents a notable risk, potentially requiring prompt mitigation.
Status: Received on 29 Sep 2026, 00:17 UTC
Published on: 29 Sep 2026, 00:17 UTC
CVSS Release: version 3
vulnerabilities@zephyrproject.org
Secondary
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVE-2026-18746: parse_write_op() in subsys/net/lib/lwm2m/lwm2m_message_handling.c handles inbound CoAP WRITE/CREATE requests that carry a Block1 option. For the first block of a transfer it called init_block_ctx() and then immediately stored the peer-selected block size with block_ctx->ctx.block_size = block_size before inspecting the return code. init_block_ctx() sets the caller's pointer to NULL and returns -ENOMEM when no entry of the static block1_contexts[] pool is free or timed out, so that store dereferences a NULL pointer. The pool holds CONFIG_LWM2M_NUM_BLOCK1_CONTEXT entries (default 3) and an entry is only reclaimed once its transfer completes, fails, or ages past 30 seconds. A peer that reaches the client's LwM2M socket can therefore start three block-wise writes on three distinct object paths with the CoAP More bit set and leave them incomplete, then send the first block of a fourth write on a new path to reach the unguarded dereference. Reachability is gated only by the connected UDP socket's source-address filter unless CONFIG_LWM2M_DTLS_SUPPORT is enabled — which has no default — so in a NoSec deployment an on-path or address-spoofing attacker needs no credentials; the same sequence is also reachable from a bootstrap or lower-trust server, and can be hit accidentally by a legitimate server running four concurrent block transfers. The write targets a fixed low address with a value between 0 and 7, so the consequence is a fatal memory fault (BusFault or corrupted low memory leading to a fault) rather than a usable memory-corruption primitive: the device crashes or resets. Confidentiality and integrity are not affected. The fix moves the store below the guard and validates the context pointer itself instead of the return code, so the context is only touched once it is known to be valid.
The exploitability of CVE-2026-18746 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).
CVE-2026-18746 presents a challenge to exploit due to its high attack complexity, but the absence of privilege requirements still makes it a viable target for skilled attackers. A thorough security review is advised.
A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.
Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.
Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.
Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2026-18746, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.
Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2026-18746, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.
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