CVE-2026-0849 zephyrproject-rtos CVE debrief

Who should care

Defenders responsible for Zephyr-based systems, particularly those using versions less than 4.4.0, should assess exposure and prioritize remediation.

Why it matters

Defenders should prioritize verifying and applying patches for Zephyr versions less than 4.4.0, as well as monitoring for potential exploitation attempts, due to the risk of kernel memory corruption and execution hijacking.

• Corruption of kernel memory by a compromised device or bus attacker
• Potential hijacking of execution by a compromised device or bus attacker
• Verification of patch application for Zephyr versions less than 4.4.0
• Monitoring for potential exploitation attempts

Technical summary

The Zephyr crypto driver is vulnerable to a stack buffer overflow due to malformed ATAES132A responses with an oversized length field. This allows a compromised device or bus attacker to corrupt kernel memory and potentially hijack execution. The vulnerability affects Zephyr versions less than 4.4.0, and defenders should prioritize verifying and applying patches for affected versions, as well as monitoring for potential exploitation attempts.

Defensive priority

Defenders should prioritize verifying and applying patches for Zephyr versions less than 4.4.0, as well as monitoring for potential exploitation attempts.

Recommended defensive actions

• Verify and apply patches for Zephyr versions less than 4.4.0
• Monitor for potential exploitation attempts
• Review and update inventory to ensure affected versions are identified and remediated

Evidence notes

The CVE record and source item provide details on the vulnerability, including its description, CVSS score, and affected versions. The vulnerability affects Zephyr versions less than 4.4.0. Defenders should verify and apply patches for affected versions, monitor for potential exploitation attempts, and review and update inventory to ensure affected versions are identified and remediated. The source confidence is limited, and further verification is required.

Sources and references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.