9.8
CRITICAL CVSS 3.1
CVE-2026-49868
RIOT: DHCPv6 client _parse_reply() missing sub-option length check leads to size_t underflow and unbounded OOB heap read
Description

RIOT is an open-source microcontroller operating system designed for Internet of Things devices and other embedded systems. Prior to 2026.07, _parse_reply() in sys/net/application_layer/dhcpv6/client.c omits minimum-length validation before passing IA_PD and IA_NA option bodies to sub-option parsers. A malicious or compromised DHCPv6 server can send a REPLY with an option length smaller than the required structure while MODULE_DHCPV6_CLIENT_IA_PD is enabled, causing _parse_ia_pd_option to read past the option body, size_t underflow, and unbounded out-of-bounds heap reads that can crash the device and may expose or corrupt memory. This issue is fixed in version 2026.07.

INFO

Published Date :

Oct. 16, 2026, 5:17 p.m.

Last Modified :

Oct. 16, 2026, 8:04 p.m.

Remotely Exploit :

Yes !
Affected Products

The following products are affected by CVE-2026-49868 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.

ID Vendor Product Action
1 Riot-os riot
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 CRITICAL MITRE-CVE
CVSS 3.1 CRITICAL [email protected]
Solution
Update RIOT to version 2026.07 to fix heap reads caused by DHCPv6 option length validation.
  • Update RIOT to version 2026.07 or later.
  • Ensure DHCPv6 client input is validated.
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-2026-49868.

URL Resource
https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/commit/c9830dc5f2a9bf97418de4fc7d7167d00a45df17
https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/pull/22322
https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/releases/tag/2026.07
https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/security/advisories/GHSA-p3fx-9qcg-jmcf
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration

While CVE identifies specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-49868 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-2026-49868 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-2026-49868 vulnerability anywhere in the article.

The following table lists the changes that have been made to the CVE-2026-49868 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]

    Oct. 16, 2026

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Added Description RIOT is an open-source microcontroller operating system designed for Internet of Things devices and other embedded systems. Prior to 2026.07, _parse_reply() in sys/net/application_layer/dhcpv6/client.c omits minimum-length validation before passing IA_PD and IA_NA option bodies to sub-option parsers. A malicious or compromised DHCPv6 server can send a REPLY with an option length smaller than the required structure while MODULE_DHCPV6_CLIENT_IA_PD is enabled, causing _parse_ia_pd_option to read past the option body, size_t underflow, and unbounded out-of-bounds heap reads that can crash the device and may expose or corrupt memory. This issue is fixed in version 2026.07.
    Added CVSS V3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    Added CWE CWE-125
    Added CWE CWE-191
    Added Affected New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/49xxx/CVE-2026-49868.json">CVE-2026-49868</a>
    Added Reference https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/commit/c9830dc5f2a9bf97418de4fc7d7167d00a45df17
    Added Reference https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/pull/22322
    Added Reference https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/releases/tag/2026.07
    Added Reference https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/security/advisories/GHSA-p3fx-9qcg-jmcf
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.