CVE-2025-54878 HIGH

CVE-2025-54878: Heap Buffer Overflow in NASA CryptoLib 1.4.0 `Crypto_TC_Check_IV_Setup`

Vendor Nasa
Product CryptoLib
Weakness CWE-122
Published August 11, 2025
Last update August 11, 2025

CVSS base score

8.6/10
Attack vector Network
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required None
User interaction None
Confidentiality Low
Integrity Low

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H

What the vulnerability does

01Description

CryptoLib provides a software-only solution using the CCSDS Space Data Link Security Protocol - Extended Procedures (SDLS-EP) to secure communications between a spacecraft running the core Flight System (cFS) and a ground station. A heap buffer overflow vulnerability exists in NASA CryptoLib version 1.4.0 and prior in the IV setup logic for telecommand frames. The problem arises from missing bounds checks when copying the Initialization Vector (IV) into a freshly allocated buffer. An attacker can supply a crafted TC frame that causes the library to write one byte past the end of the heap buffer, leading to heap corruption and undefined behaviour. An attacker supplying a malformed telecommand frame can corrupt heap memory. This leads to undefined behaviour, which could manifest itself as a crash (denial of service) or more severe exploitation. This issue has been patched in version 1.4.0.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

August 11, 2025 CVE published
August 11, 2025 Record updated