odhcpd: Out-of-bounds Read
CVE-2026-53920 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in odhcpd from OpenWrt, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.7 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected odhcpd versions: >= 17.01.0, < 25.12.3. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.4% 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 odhcpd 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.
- 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)
- NoneNo loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
- Availability (vulnerable system)
- NoneNo 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:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/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
odhcpd is the DHCPv6, DHCPv4, and router-advertisement server used by OpenWrt. From version 17.01.0 to before version 25.12.3, odhcpd's DHCPv6 IA parser accepts an IA_NA or IA_PD option whose body is shorter than struct dhcpv6_ia_hdr, casts the option header to that full structure, and reads ia->iaid before proving that the IA body contains the IAID field. If an unauthenticated network-adjacent client places a zero-length or otherwise short IA option at the end of odhcpd's 8192-byte receive stack buffer, the IAID read crosses from data_buf into adjacent stack memory. The disclosed bytes are then reflected in the DHCPv6 reply IAID; prior ARM validation showed data_buf[8192:8196] disclosing the saved stack canary, and wider stack scans can leak ASLR-useful stack/process contents. This issue has been patched in version 25.12.3.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Read
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a language that provides appropriate memory abstractions.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
References
Patches and release notes
Other vulnerabilities in odhcpd
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
Recent Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.6 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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