CVE-2025-29912: nasa cryptolib Heap-based Buffer Overflow

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2025-29912 is a critical (CVSS 9.8) Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerability in nasa cryptolib. EPSS estimates a 1.12% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 65.7% 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. In versions 1.3.3 and prior, an unsigned integer underflow in the `Crypto_TC_ProcessSecurity` function of CryptoLib leads to a heap buffer overflow. The vulnerability is triggered when the `fl` (frame length) field in a Telecommand (TC) packet is set to 0. This underflow causes the frame length to be interpreted as 65535, resulting in out-of-bounds memory access. This critical vulnerability can be exploited to cause a denial of service (DoS) or potentially achieve remote code execution. Users of CryptoLib are advised to apply the recommended patch or avoid processing untrusted TC packets until a fix is available.

• 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-191Integer Underflow (Wrap or Wraparound)The product subtracts one value from another, such that the result is less than the minimum allowable integer value, which produces a value that is not equal to the correct result.
• CWE-787Out-of-bounds WriteThe product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.