Cryptolib
CVE-2025-54878
HIGH
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A06:2021 - Vulnerable and Outdated Components
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Heap buffer bounds checking
MITRE ATT&CK
1 technique across 1 tactic: Execution The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Impact | CVSS score of 8.6 (HIGH). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction not required. Public proof-of-concept exploit code is available. EPSS exploitation probability: 0.14%. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | This vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network. Successful exploitation could compromise the high-severity affected system. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Mar 28, 2026
CryptoLib provides a software-only solution using the CCSDS Space Data Link Security Protocol - Extended Procedures (SDLS-EP) to secure communications between a spacecraft running the core Flight. Rated high severity (CVSS 8.6), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available.
RemediationAI
A vendor patch is available. Apply the latest security update as soon as possible. Apply vendor patches when available. Implement network segmentation and monitoring as interim mitigations.
Affects your stack
Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-122. CryptoLib provides a software-only solution using the CCSDS Space Data Link Security Protocol - Extended Procedures (SDLS-EP) to secure communications between a spacecraft running the core Flight System (cFS) and a ground station. A heap buffer overflow vulnerability exists in NASA CryptoLib version 1.4.0 and prior in the IV setup logic for telecommand frames. The problem arises from missing bounds checks when copying the Initialization Vector (IV) into a freshly allocated buffer. An attacker can supply a crafted TC frame that causes the library to write one byte past the end of the heap buffer, leading to heap corruption and undefined behaviour. An attacker supplying a malformed telecommand frame can corrupt heap memory. This leads to undefined behaviour, which could manifest itself as a crash (denial of service) or more severe exploitation. This issue has been patched in version 1.4.0. Affected products include: Nasa Cryptolib. Version information: version 1.4.0.
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H
Primary rating from GitHub Advisory · only source for this CVE.
CVSS VectorGitHub Advisory
Lifecycle Timeline
3DescriptionGitHub Advisory
CryptoLib provides a software-only solution using the CCSDS Space Data Link Security Protocol - Extended Procedures (SDLS-EP) to secure communications between a spacecraft running the core Flight System (cFS) and a ground station. A heap buffer overflow vulnerability exists in NASA CryptoLib version 1.4.0 and prior in the IV setup logic for telecommand frames. The problem arises from missing bounds checks when copying the Initialization Vector (IV) into a freshly allocated buffer. An attacker can supply a crafted TC frame that causes the library to write one byte past the end of the heap buffer, leading to heap corruption and undefined behaviour. An attacker supplying a malformed telecommand frame can corrupt heap memory. This leads to undefined behaviour, which could manifest itself as a crash (denial of service) or more severe exploitation. This issue has been patched in version 1.4.0.
Executive ViewAI
CVE-2025-54878 presents significant security risk, a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability rated CVSS 8.6. Exploitation could allow attackers to corrupt memory, crash the application, or potentially execute arbitrary code. Proof-of-concept code is publicly available, increasing the risk of exploitation. A patch is available and should be applied as part of regular vulnerability management.
Apply vendor patch. If immediate patching is not feasible: (1) Enable ASLR and DEP where available; (2) Implement network segmentation; (3) Monitor for exploitation indicators.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
A buffer overflow occurs when a program writes more data to a memory buffer than it was allocated to hold, causing the excess data to spill into adjacent memory regions.
A heap overflow occurs when a program writes data beyond the bounds of a buffer allocated in the heap memory region.
Denial of Service attacks render applications or systems unavailable by overwhelming resources or triggering failure conditions.
Affected Products (CPE)GitHub Advisory
CryptoLib provides a software-only solution using the CCSDS Space Data Link Security Protocol - Extended Procedures (SDL
CryptoLib provides a software-only solution using the CCSDS Space Data Link Security Protocol - Extended Procedures (SDL
CryptoLib provides a software-only solution using the CCSDS Space Data Link Security Protocol - Extended Procedures (SDL
CryptoLib provides a software-only solution using the CCSDS Space Data Link Security Protocol - Extended Procedures (SDL
CryptoLib provides a software-only solution using the CCSDS Space Data Link Security Protocol - Extended Procedures (SDL
CryptoLib provides a software-only solution using the CCSDS Space Data Link Security Protocol - Extended Procedures (SDL
CryptoLib versions prior to 1.4.3 contain an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the Crypto_AOS_ProcessSecurity function
Command injection in NASA CryptoLib before 1.4.2 lets an attacker who controls the CAM 'username' or 'keytab_file_path'
CryptoLib versions prior to 1.4.3 contain a heap buffer overflow in the KMC crypto service's Base64 decoder, where overs
CryptoLib versions prior to 1.4.3 are vulnerable to denial of service through unbounded memory allocation in the KMC cry
CryptoLib versions prior to 1.4.3 contain an out-of-bounds heap read in the cryptography_aead_encrypt() function, affect
NASA CryptoLib v1.3.0 was discovered to contain an Out-of-Bounds read via the AOS subsystem (crypto_aos.c). Rated high s
GitHub PoC
Exploit-DB