Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessIntercept serialized SSL context or session data
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ExploitModify serialized structure without authentication
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ExecutionTrigger memory corruption during deserialization
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ImpactExecute arbitrary code in application context
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Unnecessary privilege execution
|
| Exploitation Conditions | Attacker must have ability to modify serialized SSL context or session structures in Mbed TLS 2.19.0-3.6.5 or 4.0.0. Requires access to serialized session data (e.g., stored on disk, in transit, or in memory). No authentication or user interaction needed for exploitation if serialized data is accessible. |
| Impact | CVSS vector and score are not provided, limiting standard severity quantification. However, the reported tags (Buffer Overflow, RCE) and description indicate high impact potential. The vulnerability requires an attacker to modify serialized structures in transit or at rest, meaning the attack vector depends on the application's use of serialization-this may be network-based (if sessions are transmitted) or local (if stored files are accessible). Exploitation complexity is likely moderate to high, as the attacker must understand the serialization format and craft valid malformed payloads. EPSS and CVSS metrics are absent, precluding quantitative exploitation probability assessment. The vulnerability's real-world risk is significant for applications that deserialize untrusted SSL session data (e.g., distributed session caches, session persistence layers, TLS proxies), but risk is lower for applications that only use in-memory SSL contexts. No KEV or public exploit availability is documented in provided intelligence. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker intercepts or modifies a serialized SSL session stored in a distributed cache or transmitted between application servers. When the application deserializes the modified session structure to resume the TLS connection, the malformed data triggers a buffer overflow in Mbed TLS's deserialization code, allowing the attacker to overwrite memory and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the TLS library process. This attack is most practical in environments where sessions are persisted or replicated across multiple servers without integrity protection. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Apr 02, 2026
Mbed TLS versions 2.19.0 through 3.6.5 and 4.0.0 allow remote code execution through memory corruption when attackers modify serialized SSL context or session structures. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of deserialized data, enabling arbitrary code execution on systems using affected versions. CISA KEV status and active exploitation data not confirmed in provided intelligence.
RemediationAI
Upgrade Mbed TLS to a patched version released by the vendor. Consult the official Mbed TLS security advisory at https://mbed-tls.readthedocs.io/en/latest/security-advisories/mbedtls-security-advisory-2026-03-serialized-data/ for exact patched version numbers. As an interim mitigation, applications should avoid deserializing SSL context or session structures from untrusted sources; if serialization is required, implement cryptographic signing or encryption of serialized data to ensure integrity and authenticity before deserialization. For applications where serialization is critical, apply strict input validation and bounds-checking at deserialization entry points. Monitor for vendor security updates and apply them as soon as patched versions are available.
Affected VersionsENISA
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Technical ContextAI · show details
Mbed TLS is a cryptographic library providing SSL/TLS protocol implementation. The vulnerability affects serialization/deserialization mechanisms used to persist and restore SSL contexts and session state. When serialized structures (binary representations of SSL session or context data) are deserialized without proper integrity checks or bounds validation, attackers who can intercept or modify these structures can inject malformed data. This triggers memory corruption-specifically buffer overflow conditions-during the deserialization process. The root cause is classified as Incorrect Use of Privileged APIs, indicating that internal cryptographic or memory-management functions are called without adequate input validation on untrusted deserialized data. Affected products include Mbed TLS library across multiple major versions.
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Primary rating from Vendor (mitre).
CVSS VectorVendor: mitre
DescriptionCVE.org
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS versions from 2.19.0 up to 3.6.5, Mbed TLS 4.0.0. Insufficient protection of serialized SSL context or session structures allows an attacker who can modify the serialized structures to induce memory corruption, leading to arbitrary code execution. This is caused by Incorrect Use of Privileged APIs.
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
Privilege escalation occurs when an attacker leverages flaws in access control mechanisms to gain permissions beyond what they were originally granted.
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.
Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.
Mbed TLS before 3.0.1 has a double free in certain out-of-memory conditions, as demonstrated by an mbedtls_ssl_set_sessi
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS before 2.28.1 and 3.x before 3.2.0. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.1), this vulnera
An exploitable free of a stack pointer vulnerability exists in the x509 certificate parsing code of ARM mbed TLS before
Mbed TLS before 3.6.4 has a race condition in AESNI detection if certain compiler optimizations occur. An attacker may b
Mbed TLS 3.2.x through 3.4.x before 3.5 has a Buffer Overflow that can lead to remote Code execution. Rated critical sev
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS 3.5.1. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, n
Alpine Linux: mbedtls fixed in 3.6.2-r0
An issue was discovered in Mbed TLS before 2.28.2 and 3.x before 3.3.0. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnera
Alpine Linux: mbedtls fixed in 3.6.1-r0
Alpine Linux: mbedtls fixed in 3.6.1-r0
ARM mbed TLS before 1.3.22, before 2.1.10, and before 2.7.0, when the truncated HMAC extension and CBC are used, allows
ARM mbed TLS before 1.3.22, before 2.1.10, and before 2.7.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a
Same weakness CWE-250 – Execution with Unnecessary Privileges
View allSame technique Privilege Escalation
View allVendor StatusVendor
SUSE
Severity: Critical| Product | Status |
|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | Fixed |
EUVD-2026-18394
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
VulDB
GitHub PoC
Exploit-DB