Highly exploitable, CVE-2026-19736 poses a critical security risk that could lead to severe breaches.
Status: Received on 11 Oct 2026, 18:16 UTC
Published on: 11 Oct 2026, 18:16 UTC
CVSS Release: version 3
vulnerabilities@zephyrproject.org
Secondary
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVE-2026-19736: The NXP MCUX TRNG entropy driver in drivers/entropy/entropy_mcux_trng.c passed the caller's byte count straight to the vendor SDK routine TRNG_GetRandomData(). On i.MX RT5xx and RT6xx parts the SDK compiles its TRNG_SW_HEALTH_TESTS variant, which always copies whole 32-bit words and draws entropy rounded up to a multiple of 128 bytes. Its "caller buffer is full" guard tests dataSize == 0, so a request whose length is not a multiple of four makes dataSize underflow past zero and the SDK keeps writing into the caller's buffer for the entire extraction: a 1-byte request results in 128 bytes written, and any non-word-multiple length overflows by up to 127 bytes. entropy_get_entropy() is a syscall, and its verifier in drivers/entropy/entropy_handlers.c validates only the requested length via K_SYSCALL_MEMORY_WRITE(). With CONFIG_USERSPACE enabled, an unprivileged user-mode thread that has merely been granted the entropy device can therefore choose both the destination address and a length such as 1, and cause the kernel to write up to 127 bytes beyond the region it proved it owns. On these Cortex-M33 targets there is no MMU, so user partitions and kernel data share one SRAM and the overflow can land in adjacent kernel state. The same defect is reached from kernel mode by any caller requesting a non-word-multiple length, including getentropy() and, in builds where sys_csrand_get()/sys_rand_get() resolve to the hardware generator, sys_rand8_get() and sys_rand16_get(). Impact is memory corruption of up to 127 bytes immediately following the supplied buffer — typically the caller's stack in kernel-mode use, or memory outside the caller's partition when driven through the syscall. The overflow offset is fully determined by the requested length and is therefore deterministic, while the written content is uncontrolled TRNG output; the practical consequences range from crashes and unpredictable state corruption to opportunistic escalation when kernel bookkeeping such as object permission bitmaps is overwritten. The affected devices are those where the MCUX SDK enables TRNG_SW_HEALTH_TESTS (MIMXRT595S, MIMXRT555S, MIMXRT533S, MIMXRT685S, MIMXRT633S), on which the TRNG is the zephyr,entropy chosen node; other SoCs using this driver take the SDK path that clamps the copy size and are unaffected. The fix routes any unaligned prefix and any sub-word tail through a local bounce word and hands the SDK only word-multiple sizes, so the SDK's word-granular writes can no longer pass the end of the caller's buffer.
The exploitability of CVE-2026-19736 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-2026-19736 presents an accessible attack vector with minimal effort required. Restricting access controls and implementing security updates are critical to reducing exploitation risks.
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-2026-19736, 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-2026-19736, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.
Stay updated with real-time CVE vulnerabilities and take action to secure your systems. Enhance your cybersecurity posture with the latest threat intelligence and mitigation techniques. Develop the skills necessary to defend against CVEs and secure critical infrastructures. Join the top cybersecurity professionals safeguarding today's infrastructures.