Bootloader crash via unchecked RLE8 bitmap coordinates
Published Sep 29, 2026 · Updated Sep 29, 2026
Out-of-bounds write in U-Boot through 2026.10-rc5 allows attackers to crash the bootloader by supplying a crafted RLE8 BMP image. In video_display_rle8_bitmap, RLE8 delta records move the framebuffer pointer without validating the resulting coordinates before later pixel runs write through it. Exploitation requires a build with RLE8 bitmap support and a path that displays an attacker-controlled image; the reported consequence is a bootloader crash.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds write in U-Boot through 2026.10-rc5 allows attackers to crash the bootloader by supplying a crafted RLE8 BMP image. In video_display_rle8_bitmap, RLE8 delta records move the framebuffer pointer without validating the resulting coordinates before later pixel runs write through it. Exploitation requires a build with RLE8 bitmap support and a path that displays an attacker-controlled image; the reported consequence is a bootloader crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-71972
- Published
- Sep 29, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 29, 2026
- Vendor
- DENX Software Engineering GmbH
- Product
- U-Boot
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- Unavailable
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 29, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 29, 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 <=2026.10-rc5
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
No sourced classifications are available.
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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