7.6
HIGH CVSS 3.1
CVE-2024-13942
Rockchip RK3588s Secure BootROM TOCTOU (time-of-check to time-of-use) vulnerability leading to arbitrary code execution with highest privileges
Description

Secure BootROM of RK3588s SoC is vulnerable to a time-of-check to time-of-use attack in case of booting from external media (SPI NOR or NAND, EMMC or SD). The code reads the header of the next-stage loader twice. The header contains hashes of the executable modules and is signed with a private key, the public part of which is verified against the SHA256 digest blown in the OTP. The first read is only partial and contains only the hashes of the executable modules. The second is complete, including the header signature. Although the header is verified based on the fully read data, the authenticity of the executable modules is checked against the partial data from the first read. An attacker with physical access to a device containing RK3588s SoC can easily modify the next-stage loader data on-the-fly using a low-cost SD-card or SPI NOR/NAND or EMMC emulator. Even a simple ultra low-cost circuit comprising two memory chips (containing the same data but different headers - the original and the modified one) and a multiplexer can be used to carry out an attack. This can lead to arbitrary code execution with the highest privileges available (EL3). This issue affects RK3588s: RK3588s SoC BootROM (secure) 350B20210512V100 and possibly others. As remediation apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable https://www.rock-chips.com/a/en/products/RK35_Series/2022/0926/1660.html

INFO

Published Date :

Aug. 19, 2026, 5:18 p.m.

Last Modified :

Aug. 19, 2026, 5:18 p.m.

Remotely Exploit :

No
Affected Products

The following products are affected by CVE-2024-13942 vulnerability. Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the products that are affected, the information is not represented in the table below.

No affected product recoded yet

CVSS Scores
The Common Vulnerability Scoring System is a standardized framework for assessing the severity of vulnerabilities in software and systems. We collect and displays CVSS scores from various sources for each CVE.
Score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Score Impact Score Source
CVSS 3.1 HIGH e45d732a-8f6b-4b6b-be76-7420f6a2b988
CVSS 3.1 HIGH [email protected]
Solution
Apply vendor mitigations to the RK3588s SoC BootROM to prevent unauthorized code execution.
  • Consult vendor documentation for specific mitigations.
  • Apply patches or updates as provided by the vendor.
  • Discontinue product use if no mitigations are available.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools

Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to CVE-2024-13942.

URL Resource
https://github.com/klsecservices/Advisories/blob/master/KLSA-00230-Rockchip-RK3588s-Secure-BootROM-TOCTOU-vulnerability.md
https://www.rock-chips.com/a/en/products/RK35_Series/2022/0926/1660.html
https://www.rock-chips.com/a/en/psirt/vdp.html
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration

While CVE identifies specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2024-13942 is associated with the following CWEs:

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC) stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2024-13942 weaknesses.

We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).

Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.

The following list is the news that have been mention CVE-2024-13942 vulnerability anywhere in the article.

The following table lists the changes that have been made to the CVE-2024-13942 vulnerability over time.

Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.

  • New CVE Received by [email protected]

    Aug. 19, 2026

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Added Affected [{'vendor': 'Rockchip', 'modules': ['Secure BootROM'], 'product': 'RK3588s', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '350B20210512V100'}], 'defaultStatus': 'unknown'}]
    Added Description Secure BootROM of RK3588s SoC is vulnerable to a time-of-check to time-of-use attack in case of booting from external media (SPI NOR or NAND, EMMC or SD). The code reads the header of the next-stage loader twice. The header contains hashes of the executable modules and is signed with a private key, the public part of which is verified against the SHA256 digest blown in the OTP. The first read is only partial and contains only the hashes of the executable modules. The second is complete, including the header signature. Although the header is verified based on the fully read data, the authenticity of the executable modules is checked against the partial data from the first read. An attacker with physical access to a device containing RK3588s SoC can easily modify the next-stage loader data on-the-fly using a low-cost SD-card or SPI NOR/NAND or EMMC emulator. Even a simple ultra low-cost circuit comprising two memory chips (containing the same data but different headers - the original and the modified one) and a multiplexer can be used to carry out an attack. This can lead to arbitrary code execution with the highest privileges available (EL3). This issue affects RK3588s: RK3588s SoC BootROM (secure) 350B20210512V100 and possibly others. As remediation apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable https://www.rock-chips.com/a/en/products/RK35_Series/2022/0926/1660.html
    Added CVSS V3.1 AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
    Added CWE CWE-367
    Added Reference https://github.com/klsecservices/Advisories/blob/master/KLSA-00230-Rockchip-RK3588s-Secure-BootROM-TOCTOU-vulnerability.md
    Added Reference https://www.rock-chips.com/a/en/products/RK35_Series/2022/0926/1660.html
    Added Reference https://www.rock-chips.com/a/en/psirt/vdp.html
EPSS is a daily estimate of the probability of exploitation activity being observed over the next 30 days. Following chart shows the EPSS score history of the vulnerability.