Description
In MCUboot's serial-recovery encrypted-image support (boot/boot_serial/src/boot_serial_encryption.c), decrypt_image_inplace() and boot_image_validate_encrypted() each keep a stack-local struct boot_status. boot_enc_load() writes the plaintext per-image AES key into its enckey[] field. Neither function cleared this structure before returning. In addition, a decrypt failure inside the per-sector loop of decrypt_image_inplace() returned early and skipped the total_out: cleanup, which left the expanded AES key context (enc_data) on the stack as well. The error paths of boot_image_validate_encrypted() similarly skipped boot_enc_zeroize().

The affected code is built when encrypted images (MCUBOOT_ENC_IMAGES, Zephyr CONFIG_BOOT_ENCRYPT_IMAGE) are combined with serial recovery. It runs when an encrypted image is uploaded to the primary slot over the recovery protocol, and when the image list or state is queried while an encrypted image is in the secondary slot. After these functions return, the image's AES content key remains in dead stack memory. An attacker who can later read device RAM, for example through a debug port or retained RAM, can recover it.

This weakens the confidentiality of image-encryption keys within the bootloader trust boundary. A recovered key exposes the plaintext of the encrypted firmware image it protects. The device's long-term private decryption key is not exposed. No remote or recovery-protocol channel that returns this memory is known, so exploitation requires a separate memory-read capability.
Published: 2026-11-13
Score: 2 Low
EPSS: n/a
KEV: No
AI Analysis

Analysis and contextual insights are available on OpenCVE Cloud.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record.

Additional remediation guidance may be available on OpenCVE Cloud.

Tracking

Sign in to view the affected projects.

Advisories

No advisories yet.

History

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 00:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In MCUboot's serial-recovery encrypted-image support (boot/boot_serial/src/boot_serial_encryption.c), decrypt_image_inplace() and boot_image_validate_encrypted() each keep a stack-local struct boot_status. boot_enc_load() writes the plaintext per-image AES key into its enckey[] field. Neither function cleared this structure before returning. In addition, a decrypt failure inside the per-sector loop of decrypt_image_inplace() returned early and skipped the total_out: cleanup, which left the expanded AES key context (enc_data) on the stack as well. The error paths of boot_image_validate_encrypted() similarly skipped boot_enc_zeroize(). The affected code is built when encrypted images (MCUBOOT_ENC_IMAGES, Zephyr CONFIG_BOOT_ENCRYPT_IMAGE) are combined with serial recovery. It runs when an encrypted image is uploaded to the primary slot over the recovery protocol, and when the image list or state is queried while an encrypted image is in the secondary slot. After these functions return, the image's AES content key remains in dead stack memory. An attacker who can later read device RAM, for example through a debug port or retained RAM, can recover it. This weakens the confidentiality of image-encryption keys within the bootloader trust boundary. A recovered key exposes the plaintext of the encrypted firmware image it protects. The device's long-term private decryption key is not exposed. No remote or recovery-protocol channel that returns this memory is known, so exploitation requires a separate memory-read capability.
Title AES image key left on the stack after serial-recovery encrypted-image handling in MCUboot
Weaknesses CWE-226
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 2, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N'}


Subscriptions

No data.

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: zephyr

Published:

Updated: 2026-11-13T00:22:56.789Z

Reserved: 2026-11-12T19:48:25.870Z

Link: CVE-2026-127928

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-11-13T02:18:56.133

Modified: 2026-11-13T02:18:56.133

Link: CVE-2026-127928

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses