arduino-esp32: Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences in HTTP Headers
CVE-2025-53007 is a high-severity improper neutralization of CRLF sequences in HTTP headers vulnerability in arduino-esp32 from Espressif, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.9 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected arduino-esp32 versions: < 3.2.1; >= 3.3.0-alpha1, < 3.3.0-RC1. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.47% 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
- Check which version of arduino-esp32 you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Espressif | arduino-esp32 | < 3.2.1; >= 3.3.0-alpha1, < 3.3.0-RC1 | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Attack requirements
- NoneThe attack does not depend on a particular deployment or configuration.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
- Integrity (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
- Availability (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
- Confidentiality (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Integrity (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Availability (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
arduino-esp32 provides an Arduino core for the ESP32. Versions prior to 3.3.0-RC1 and 3.2.1 contain a HTTP Response Splitting vulnerability. The `sendHeader` function takes arbitrary input for the HTTP header name and value, concatenates them into an HTTP header line, and appends this to the outgoing HTTP response headers. There is no validation or sanitization of the `name` or `value` parameters before they are included in the HTTP response. If an attacker can control the input to `sendHeader` (either directly or indirectly), they could inject carriage return (`\r`) or line feed (`\n`) characters into either the header name or value. This could allow the attacker to inject additional headers, manipulate the structure of the HTTP response, potentially inject an entire new HTTP response (HTTP Response Splitting), and/or ause header confusion or other HTTP protocol attacks. Versions 3.3.0-RC1 and 3.2.1 contain a fix for the issue.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences in HTTP Headers
The product receives data from an HTTP agent/component (e.g., web server, proxy, browser, etc.), but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes CR and LF characters before the data is included in outgoing HTTP headers.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Construct HTTP headers very carefully, avoiding the use of non-validated input data.
- Inputs should be decoded and canonicalized to the application's current internal representation before being validated (CWE-180). Make sure that the application does not decode the same input twice (CWE-174). Such errors could be used to bypass allowlist validation schemes by introducing dangerous inputs after they have been checked.
More Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences in HTTP Headers vulnerabilities (CWE-113)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in arduino-esp32
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.7 High severity
- 9.9 Critical severity
Recent Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences in HTTP Headers vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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