CVE-2024-57254

Code execution via overflowing symlink size calculation

Published Feb 18, 2025 · Updated Nov 3, 2025

Integer overflow in DENX U-Boot before 2025.01-rc1 allows physically proximate attackers to execute code via a crafted SquashFS filesystem. The sqfs_inode_size function adds an untrusted 32-bit symlink_size value to the symlink structure size without detecting overflow, causing reads from incorrect filesystem locations. The attacker must be able to modify filesystem data used at boot; exploitation can crash the bootloader or bypass verified boot and run code.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.36%
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 DENX U-Boot before 2025.01-rc1 allows physically proximate attackers to execute code via a crafted SquashFS filesystem. The sqfs_inode_size function adds an untrusted 32-bit symlink_size value to the symlink structure size without detecting overflow, causing reads from incorrect filesystem locations. The attacker must be able to modify filesystem data used at boot; exploitation can crash the bootloader or bypass verified boot and run code.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-57254
Published
Feb 18, 2025
Updated
Nov 3, 2025
Vendor
DENX Software Engineering GmbH
Product
U-Boot
Classifications
CWE-190
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 18, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 3, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <2025.01-rc1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

DENX Software Engineering GmbH · U-Bootversion=0 <2025.01-rc1

Published CVSS scores

7.1MITRECVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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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
Privilegesunauthenticated
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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