CVE-2025-29911: nasa cryptolib Heap-based Buffer Overflow

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2025-29911 is a critical (CVSS 9.8) Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerability in nasa cryptolib. EPSS estimates a 0.74% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 53.9% of scored vulnerabilities. 1 public exploit is recorded.

Timeline

1. 17-03-2025
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 18-03-2025
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

CryptoLib provides a software-only solution using the CCSDS Space Data Link Security Protocol - Extended Procedures (SDLS-EP) to secure communications between a spacecraft running the core Flight System (cFS) and a ground station. A critical heap buffer overflow vulnerability was identified in the `Crypto_AOS_ProcessSecurity` function of CryptoLib versions 1.3.3 and prior. This vulnerability allows an attacker to trigger a Denial of Service (DoS) or potentially execute arbitrary code (RCE) by providing a maliciously crafted AOS frame with an insufficient length. The vulnerability lies in the function `Crypto_AOS_ProcessSecurity`, specifically during the processing of the Frame Error Control Field (FECF). The affected code attempts to read from the `p_ingest` buffer at indices `current_managed_parameters_struct.max_frame_size - 2` and `current_managed_parameters_struct.max_frame_size - 1` without verifying if `len_ingest` is sufficiently large. This leads to a heap buffer overflow when `len_ingest` is smaller than `max_frame_size`. As of time of publication, no known patched versions exist.

• CWE-122Heap-based Buffer OverflowA heap overflow condition is a buffer overflow, where the buffer that can be overwritten is allocated in the heap portion of memory, generally meaning that the buffer was allocated using a routine such as malloc().
• CWE-787Out-of-bounds WriteThe product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.