CVE-2026-12999

Wi-Fi service interruption via transmit-buffer leak

Published Aug 22, 2026 · Updated Aug 22, 2026

Missing buffer release in Zephyr RTOS 3.6.0 through 4.4.1 allows physically proximate attackers to interrupt Wi-Fi service via failed transmits. The airoc_mgmt_send() failure branch returns without releasing a net_buf that WHD did not consume, permanently draining the shared fixed pool. Wi-Fi-adjacent access and repeated synchronous send failures are required; exhaustion blocks transmit and receive until reboot.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.16%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Missing buffer release in Zephyr RTOS 3.6.0 through 4.4.1 allows physically proximate attackers to interrupt Wi-Fi service via failed transmits. The airoc_mgmt_send() failure branch returns without releasing a net_buf that WHD did not consume, permanently draining the shared fixed pool. Wi-Fi-adjacent access and repeated synchronous send failures are required; exhaustion blocks transmit and receive until reboot.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-12999
Published
Aug 22, 2026
Updated
Aug 22, 2026
Vendor
Zephyr Project
Product
Zephyr RTOS
Classifications
T1499.003
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 22, 2026Record 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=3.6.0 <4.4.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Zephyr Project · Zephyr RTOSversion=3.6.0 <4.4.2

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

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)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.003Application Exhaustion Flood

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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