U-boot: Improper Access Control
CVE-2025-24857 is a high-severity improper access control vulnerability in U-boot from Denx, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.6 out of 10. It can be exploited with physical access to the device by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists version 2017.11 as the first without the flaw, so updating U-boot to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.27% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update U-boot to 2017.11 or a later version.
Affected products and versions
Version data comes from NVD's product matching. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- PhysicalThe attacker must physically touch the device.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (mitre.org).
Official description
Improper access control for volatile memory containing boot code in Universal Boot Loader (U-Boot) before 2017.11 and Qualcomm chips IPQ4019, IPQ5018, IPQ5322, IPQ6018, IPQ8064, IPQ8074, and IPQ9574 could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Access Control
The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
- Compartmentalize the system to have safe areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area. Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Third-party and government advisories
- cisa.gov/news-events/ics-advisories/icsa-25-343-01Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
Other vulnerabilities in U-boot
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
Recent Improper Access Control vulnerabilities
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
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