CVE-2026-12634
Out-of-bounds stack write in the settings NVS backend from over-reported nvs_read length
Description
The NVS backend of the Zephyr settings subsystem (subsys/settings/src/settings_nvs.c) reads stored setting-name entries into fixed 74-byte stack buffers and NUL-terminates them with buf[rc] = '\0', where rc is the return value of nvs_read(). Per its contract, nvs_read() returns the full stored entry length (wlk_ate.len), which can exceed the supplied buffer length — only MIN(len, stored_len) bytes are actually copied, but the return value may be much larger, bounded only by the NVS sector size. Three sites (settings_nvs_cache_match(), settings_nvs_load(), and settings_nvs_save()) used this value directly as the NUL index without clamping, so an oversized stored name entry causes a single \0 byte to be written past the end of the stack buffer at an attacker-influenced offset (CWE-787). The oversized entry cannot arise through the normal settings API, where names are bounded by SETTINGS_MAX_NAME_LEN. It requires an actor able to write the flash that backs the settings partition — a co-resident or untrusted component sharing the flash device, a malicious settings image/restore, or offline/physical flash access (a shared-flash threat model). The malformed entry is parsed when settings_load() runs at boot or subsystem init, or during settings_save(). The out-of-bounds write is a single NUL byte at an offset equal to the crafted entry length (up to the NVS sector size), so the practical impact is a crash or denial of service and limited stack corruption rather than reliable code execution. There is no confidentiality impact, and the path is not reachable from the network through the ordinary settings interface. The fix skips any entry whose nvs_read() length is greater than or equal to the buffer size before performing the NUL store.
INFO
Published Date :
Aug. 19, 2026, 9:16 p.m.
Last Modified :
Aug. 26, 2026, 4:59 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
[email protected]
Affected Products
The following products are affected by CVE-2026-12634
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.
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | |||||
| CVSS 3.1 | MEDIUM | e2e69745-5e70-4e92-8431-deb5529a81ad | ||||
| CVSS 3.1 | MEDIUM | [email protected] | ||||
| CVSS 3.1 | MEDIUM | MITRE-CVE |
Solution
- Validate nvs_read() return value against buffer size.
- Clamp the null-termination index to buffer bounds.
- Ensure only trusted actors can write to flash.
- Update the Zephyr settings subsystem.
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-2026-12634.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/commit/e79a0db70fc9ad33982f9786b428b115a78eaadd | |
| https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/security/advisories/GHSA-q7c8-m2qg-385c |
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-12634 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-2026-12634
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-2026-12634 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-12634 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.
-
CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Aug. 20, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-12634', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'none'}, {'automatable': 'no'}, {'technicalImpact': 'partial'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-08-20T15:15:52.116171Z'} -
New CVE Received by [email protected]
Aug. 19, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Affected [{'vendor': 'zephyrproject', 'product': 'zephyr', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '2.0.0', 'lessThan': '4.5.0', 'versionType': 'semver'}], 'packageName': 'zephyr', 'programFiles': ['subsys/settings/src/settings_nvs.c'], 'collectionURL': 'https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr', 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}] Added Description The NVS backend of the Zephyr settings subsystem (subsys/settings/src/settings_nvs.c) reads stored setting-name entries into fixed 74-byte stack buffers and NUL-terminates them with buf[rc] = '\0', where rc is the return value of nvs_read(). Per its contract, nvs_read() returns the full stored entry length (wlk_ate.len), which can exceed the supplied buffer length — only MIN(len, stored_len) bytes are actually copied, but the return value may be much larger, bounded only by the NVS sector size. Three sites (settings_nvs_cache_match(), settings_nvs_load(), and settings_nvs_save()) used this value directly as the NUL index without clamping, so an oversized stored name entry causes a single \0 byte to be written past the end of the stack buffer at an attacker-influenced offset (CWE-787). The oversized entry cannot arise through the normal settings API, where names are bounded by SETTINGS_MAX_NAME_LEN. It requires an actor able to write the flash that backs the settings partition — a co-resident or untrusted component sharing the flash device, a malicious settings image/restore, or offline/physical flash access (a shared-flash threat model). The malformed entry is parsed when settings_load() runs at boot or subsystem init, or during settings_save(). The out-of-bounds write is a single NUL byte at an offset equal to the crafted entry length (up to the NVS sector size), so the practical impact is a crash or denial of service and limited stack corruption rather than reliable code execution. There is no confidentiality impact, and the path is not reachable from the network through the ordinary settings interface. The fix skips any entry whose nvs_read() length is greater than or equal to the buffer size before performing the NUL store. Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H Added CWE CWE-787 Added Reference https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/commit/e79a0db70fc9ad33982f9786b428b115a78eaadd Added Reference https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/security/advisories/GHSA-q7c8-m2qg-385c