CVE-2020-13603

Heap corruption via wrapped mempool allocation size

Published May 24, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Integer overflow in Zephyr RTOS 1.14.2 and 2.4.0 allows physically proximate attackers to corrupt heap memory through oversized allocations. sys_mem_pool_alloc adds allocator metadata to an untrusted size without checking for wraparound, so malloc can return a seven-byte block for a 0xffffffff-byte request. Reaching the flaw requires a code path that passes an attacker-controlled size to malloc; the resulting overwrite can alter memory or interrupt the device.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.23%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Integer overflow in Zephyr RTOS 1.14.2 and 2.4.0 allows physically proximate attackers to corrupt heap memory through oversized allocations. sys_mem_pool_alloc adds allocator metadata to an untrusted size without checking for wraparound, so malloc can return a seven-byte block for a 0xffffffff-byte request. Reaching the flaw requires a code path that passes an attacker-controlled size to malloc; the resulting overwrite can alter memory or interrupt the device.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-13603
Published
May 24, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Zephyr Project
Product
Zephyr RTOS
Classifications
CWE-190
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 24, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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  1. Affected versionversion=1.14.2 <unspecified
  2. Affected versionversion=2.4.0 <unspecified

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Zephyr Project · Zephyr RTOSversion=1.14.2 <unspecified; version=2.4.0 <unspecified

Published CVSS scores

6.9Zephyr ProjectCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.6NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorphysical
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-190Integer Overflow or Wraparound

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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