Raw 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:XSummary
CVE-2025-29912 is a high-severity Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-122) vulnerability in Nasa Cryptolib. Its CVSS base score is 8.9 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked in the top 37% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) and SI-10 (Information Input Validation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CryptoLib is a software library implementing the CCSDS Space Data Link Security Protocol - Extended Procedures (SDLS-EP) to protect communications between a spacecraft running NASA’s core Flight System (cFS) and a ground station. Versions 1.3.3 and earlier contain an unsigned integer underflow in the Crypto_TC_ProcessSecurity function. When the frame-length (fl) field of an incoming Telecommand (TC) packet is set to zero, the length is interpreted as 65535, producing a heap buffer overflow (CWE-122, CWE-191, CWE-787) and subsequent out-of-bounds memory access.
An unauthenticated remote attacker who can send crafted TC packets to a CryptoLib instance can trigger the overflow. Successful exploitation may result in denial of service or, under favorable memory conditions, remote code execution; the vulnerability carries a CVSS 4.0 score of 8.9 with network attack vector and no required privileges or user interaction.
The project’s GitHub security advisory and the referenced commit recommend applying the patch that corrects the length check or, until a fix is deployed, discarding any untrusted TC traffic before it reaches CryptoLib processing. The EPSS score has remained flat at 0.2111 with no observed increase after disclosure.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-6609
Vulnerability Data
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. In versions 1.3.3 and prior, an unsigned…
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integer underflow in the `Crypto_TC_ProcessSecurity` function of CryptoLib leads to a heap buffer overflow. The vulnerability is triggered when the `fl` (frame length) field in a Telecommand (TC) packet is set to 0. This underflow causes the frame length to be interpreted as 65535, resulting in out-of-bounds memory access. This critical vulnerability can be exploited to cause a denial of service (DoS) or potentially achieve remote code execution. Users of CryptoLib are advised to apply the recommended patch or avoid processing untrusted TC packets until a fix is available.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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V1.4.1
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Developer testing and evaluation (including fuzzing and memory-error detectors) can discover heap overflows after they have been coded.
Input validation enforces bounds checking on data written to heap buffers, directly stopping the overflow condition from being introduced.
Requiring documented secure-development standards and tools can mandate bounds-checked coding practices that avoid the weakness.
Security engineering principles require use of memory-safe constructs and bounds-checked allocation routines that avoid introducing heap overflows.
Memory-protection mechanisms limit the ability of a heap overflow to execute attacker-controlled code or corrupt adjacent structures.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Secure-development practices directly require bounds checking and safe memory handling that prevent heap overflows.
Vulnerability scanning and recording can discover heap-overflow flaws but does not prevent their introduction in code.
Timely patching removes known heap-overflow instances after they exist.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Security testing in development and acceptance can detect heap overflows before release.
Secure development lifecycle mandates practices that reduce the likelihood of introducing heap overflows.
Application security requirements can specify bounds-checking and safe memory APIs that mitigate heap overflows.
Secure architecture and engineering principles include memory-safety and input-validation controls that address heap overflows.
Secure coding standards directly prescribe techniques (safe functions, bounds checks) that prevent heap-based buffer overflows.
Change management can enforce review gates that catch unsafe memory operations before deployment.