openwrt: Stack-based Buffer Overflow
CVE-2026-30871 is a critical-severity stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in openwrt, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected openwrt versions: < 24.10.6; >= 25.12.0-rc1, < 25.12.1. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.36% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 72% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of openwrt 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
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.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- 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:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | 9.5 | Critical | CNA (github.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.8 | Critical | NVD |
Official description
OpenWrt Project is a Linux operating system targeting embedded devices. In versions prior to 24.10.6 and 25.12.1, the mdns daemon has a Stack-based Buffer Overflow vulnerability in the parse_question function. The issue is triggered by PTR queries for reverse DNS domains (.in-addr.arpa and .ip6.arpa). DNS packets received on UDP port 5353 are expanded by dn_expand into an 8096-byte global buffer (name_buffer), which is then copied via an unbounded strcpy into a fixed 256-byte stack buffer when handling TYPE_PTR queries. The overflow is possible because dn_expand converts non-printable ASCII bytes (e.g., 0x01) into multi-character octal representations (e.g., \001), significantly inflating the expanded name beyond the stack buffer's capacity. A crafted DNS packet can exploit this expansion behavior to overflow the stack buffer, making the vulnerability reachable through normal multicast DNS packet processing. This issue has been fixed in versions 24.10.6 and 25.12.1.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Stack-based Buffer Overflow
The product writes past the end of a buffer that was allocated on the stack.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND discusses canary-based detection in detail.
- Use an abstraction library to abstract away risky APIs. Not a complete solution.
- Implement and perform bounds checking on input.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
- github.com/openwrt/openwrt/releases/tag/v24.10.6Release Notes
- github.com/openwrt/openwrt/releases/tag/v25.12.1Release Notes
Other vulnerabilities in openwrt
- 9.6 Critical severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.0 High severity
Recent Stack-based Buffer Overflow vulnerabilities
- 8.1 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.0 High severity
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