Pre-OS code execution via unchecked symlink appends
Published Jul 8, 2026 · Updated Jul 8, 2026
Buffer overflow in U-Boot before 2026.07-rc2 allows remote attackers to execute code through crafted NFS READLINK replies. nfs_readlink_reply() appends each relative symlink target to the 2048-byte nfs_path_buff without checking the accumulated path length, overwriting adjacent NFS state. Exploitation requires CONFIG_CMD_NFS and an NFS boot in which a malicious server controls repeated symlink resolutions.
Summary
What happened
Buffer overflow in U-Boot before 2026.07-rc2 allows remote attackers to execute code through crafted NFS READLINK replies. nfs_readlink_reply() appends each relative symlink target to the 2048-byte nfs_path_buff without checking the accumulated path length, overwriting adjacent NFS state. Exploitation requires CONFIG_CMD_NFS and an NFS boot in which a malicious server controls repeated symlink resolutions.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-29009
- Published
- Jul 8, 2026
- Updated
- Jul 8, 2026
- Vendor
- DENX Software Engineering GmbH
- Product
- U-Boot
- Classifications
- CWE-120, T1203
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 8, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jul 8, 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.
- Affected versionversion=0 <=2026.04-rc3
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- NFS READLINK overflow demonstrationproof of concept · demonstrated
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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