CVE-2026-33283
Denial of Service via Malformed NAS Messages in Ella Core
Publication date: 2026-03-24
Last updated on: 2026-03-24
Assigner: GitHub, Inc.
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| ellanetworks | ella_core | to 1.6.0 (exc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-476 | The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
CVE-2026-33283 is a vulnerability in the Ella Core 5G core software affecting versions prior to 1.6.0. The issue occurs when the system processes malformed UL NAS Transport NAS messages that do not include a Request Type. Specifically, the software dereferences a NULL pointer because it expects a valid Request Type, which leads to a crash of the Ella Core process.
An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted NAS messages without requiring any authentication, causing the process to panic and crash.
The vulnerability was fixed in version 1.6.0 by adding a guard to handle UL NAS messages missing a Request Type when no SM Context is present, preventing the NULL pointer dereference and subsequent crash.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can cause a denial of service by crashing the Ella Core process when it receives malformed NAS messages without a Request Type.
As a result, all connected subscribers relying on the affected Ella Core instance may experience service disruption.
Since no authentication is required to exploit this issue, an attacker with network access can remotely trigger the crash, making the system unavailable.
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
I don't know
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
I don't know
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
To mitigate this vulnerability, you should upgrade Ella Core to version 1.6.0 or later, as this version includes a guard that prevents the process from crashing when receiving malformed UL NAS Transport NAS messages without a Request Type.
Since the vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to crash the process remotely, applying the update promptly will prevent denial of service and service disruption for all connected subscribers.