CVE-2026-3557
Heap-Based Buffer Overflow in Philips Hue Bridge Enables RCE
Publication date: 2026-03-16
Last updated on: 2026-04-27
Assigner: Zero Day Initiative
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| philips | hue_bridge_v2_firmware | to 1975170000 (exc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-122 | A heap overflow condition is a buffer overflow, where the buffer that can be overwritten is allocated in the heap portion of memory, generally meaning that the buffer was allocated using a routine such as malloc(). |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
CVE-2026-3557 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability found in the Philips Hue Bridge device. It specifically exists in the hap_pair_verify_handler function of the hk_hap service, which listens on TCP port 8080 by default.
The vulnerability occurs because the device does not properly validate the length of user-supplied data before copying it into a heap buffer. This flaw allows an attacker who is network-adjacent to bypass the existing authentication mechanism and exploit the vulnerability.
Successful exploitation enables the attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the affected device.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can have severe impacts as it allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the Philips Hue Bridge device.
Because the attacker can bypass authentication and gain root-level access, they could potentially take full control of the device, leading to compromise of device functionality, unauthorized access to network resources, and disruption of services.
The CVSS score of 8.0 reflects a high severity, indicating significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system.
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?
This vulnerability exists in the hk_hap service of Philips Hue Bridge, which listens on TCP port 8080 by default.
Detection can focus on monitoring network traffic or scanning for devices with open TCP port 8080 running the vulnerable Philips Hue Bridge service.
Specific commands to detect the presence of the vulnerable service could include network scanning tools such as:
- nmap -p 8080 --open <target-ip-range> # To identify devices with TCP port 8080 open
- curl http://<target-ip>:8080/ # To check for the hk_hap service response
Further detection of exploitation attempts would require monitoring for unusual or malformed hap_pair_verify_handler requests, but no specific commands or signatures are provided.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
[{'type': 'paragraph', 'content': "Immediate mitigation steps include restricting network access to the Philips Hue Bridge's TCP port 8080 to trusted devices only, as the attack requires network adjacency."}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Since the authentication mechanism can be bypassed, relying solely on authentication is insufficient.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Additional steps may include applying any available patches or updates from Philips addressing this vulnerability.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'If patches are not yet available, consider isolating the device from untrusted networks or disabling the hk_hap service if possible.'}] [1]