CVE-2026-13479
Received Received - Intake

Buffer Over-Read in LoRaWAN Clock Sync Service

Vulnerability report for CVE-2026-13479, including description, CVSS score, EPSS score, affected products, exploitability, helpful resources, and attack-flow context.

Publication date: 2026-08-26

Last updated on: 2026-08-26

Assigner: Zephyr Project

Description

The LoRaWAN application-layer clock-synchronization service parses downlinks in clock_sync_package_callback() (subsys/lorawan/services/clock_sync.c). Its command loop only guarantees that the one-byte command id is in bounds; for the CLOCK_SYNC_CMD_APP_TIME (AppTimeAns) command the handler then reads a 4-byte time correction via sys_get_le32() plus a 1-byte token without checking that 5 bytes remain in the receive buffer (len - rx_pos). A short or crafted AppTimeAns therefore reads up to 5 bytes past the end of the decrypted payload. The payload (rx_buf/len) is the decrypted application frame delivered to the registered downlink callback (mcps_indication->Buffer/BufferSize). Reaching the handler requires a frame on the clock-sync port that passes LoRaWAN's MAC integrity check and FRMPayload decryption, so the practical attacker is a malicious or compromised network/application server (the designated sender of AppTimeAns) or a party holding the session keys, rather than an arbitrary radio listener. The over-read is bounded: the backing store is a fixed 255-byte static buffer, so the few stray bytes do not fault, and the read values (time_correction, token) are used only internally and never transmitted, so there is no disclosure to the attacker and no crash. The sole effect is that a stale token matching ctx.req_token can apply a garbage time_correction to the device's own clock offset (ctx.time_offset), a minor integrity impact confined to the victim's time estimate. The fix adds an explicit length check that drops a too-short AppTimeAns. Note the sibling one-byte reads in the periodicity and force-resync handlers remain unguarded with the same negligible impact.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-08-26
Last Modified
2026-08-26
Generated
2026-08-26
AI Q&A
2026-08-26
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
EUVD

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
zephyrproject lorawan *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-125 The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

Attack-Flow Graph

AI Quick Actions

Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

This is a low-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the LoRaWAN clock-synchronization service of Zephyr RTOS. It occurs in the clock_sync_package_callback() function where the handler for the AppTimeAns command reads 5 bytes (4-byte time correction and 1-byte token) from the receive buffer without checking if enough data remains. This allows reading up to 5 bytes past the end of the decrypted payload if the input is short or maliciously crafted.

Detection Guidance

Detecting this vulnerability requires checking for Zephyr RTOS versions affected by CVE-2026-13479. Use commands like 'git log --oneline --grep="clock_sync"' or 'grep -r "clock_sync_package_callback" subsys/lorawan/' in your Zephyr project directory. Verify if the system uses LoRaWAN clock-sync service on the vulnerable port.

Impact Analysis

The impact is limited. The over-read is bounded by a fixed 255-byte buffer, so no crashes or data disclosure occur. However, it may apply a garbage time correction to the device's clock offset if a stale token matches, causing a minor integrity impact on the device's time estimate.

Mitigation Strategies

Upgrade Zephyr RTOS to version 4.4.2 or later. Apply the patch from commit 3d578067652b12993bca13fb8e07dc45d062d4a5. Ensure LoRaWAN clock-sync service inputs are validated and discard malformed AppTimeAns frames.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-13479. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart