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CVE-2023-50927: CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read in contiki-ng contiki-ng

Medium
Published: Wed Feb 14 2024 (02/14/2024, 19:22:05 UTC)
Source: CVE
Vendor/Project: contiki-ng
Product: contiki-ng

Description

Contiki-NG is an open-source, cross-platform operating system for Next-Generation IoT devices. An attacker can trigger out-of-bounds reads in the RPL-Lite implementation of the RPL protocol in the Contiki-NG operating system. This vulnerability is caused by insufficient control of the lengths for DIO and DAO messages, in particular when they contain RPL sub-option headers. The problem has been patched in Contiki-NG 4.9. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should manually apply the code changes in PR #2484.

AI-Powered Analysis

AILast updated: 06/24/2025, 05:56:04 UTC

Technical Analysis

CVE-2023-50927 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Contiki-NG, an open-source, cross-platform operating system designed for next-generation Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The vulnerability arises from an out-of-bounds read condition in the RPL-Lite implementation of the RPL (Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks) protocol. Specifically, the flaw is due to insufficient validation of the length fields in DIO (DODAG Information Object) and DAO (Destination Advertisement Object) messages, particularly when these messages include RPL sub-option headers. An attacker capable of sending crafted RPL messages to a device running a vulnerable version of Contiki-NG (versions prior to 4.9) can trigger this out-of-bounds read. This could lead to unintended memory disclosure or cause the device to behave unpredictably, potentially resulting in denial of service or information leakage. The issue has been addressed in Contiki-NG version 4.9, and users are advised to upgrade or manually apply the patch from pull request #2484 if upgrading is not immediately feasible. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the vulnerability's nature makes it a concern for IoT deployments relying on Contiki-NG for network routing functionality.

Potential Impact

For European organizations deploying IoT devices running Contiki-NG, especially in critical infrastructure sectors such as smart cities, energy grids, healthcare, and industrial automation, this vulnerability poses a risk to device stability and data confidentiality. Exploitation could allow attackers to read memory beyond intended boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive routing information or device state data. This could facilitate further attacks such as network mapping, targeted disruption, or lateral movement within IoT networks. Additionally, triggering out-of-bounds reads may cause device crashes or erratic behavior, impacting availability and reliability of IoT services. Given the increasing reliance on IoT in European smart infrastructure, unpatched devices could become weak points in organizational security postures. While no active exploitation is reported, the vulnerability's presence in foundational routing protocols means that attackers with network access could leverage it to undermine network integrity and availability.

Mitigation Recommendations

1. Immediate upgrade to Contiki-NG version 4.9 or later is the most effective mitigation to fully remediate the vulnerability. 2. For environments where upgrading is not immediately possible, apply the code changes from Contiki-NG pull request #2484 to patch the vulnerability manually. 3. Implement network segmentation and strict access controls to limit exposure of IoT devices running Contiki-NG to untrusted networks or users. 4. Monitor network traffic for anomalous RPL message patterns, particularly malformed DIO and DAO messages, to detect potential exploitation attempts. 5. Employ intrusion detection systems capable of parsing RPL protocol traffic to alert on suspicious activity. 6. Conduct regular firmware and software audits of IoT devices to ensure timely application of security patches. 7. Collaborate with IoT device vendors and integrators to confirm that deployed devices are running patched versions or have mitigations in place. 8. Consider deploying fallback or redundant routing mechanisms to maintain network availability in case of device failure due to exploitation attempts.

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Technical Details

Data Version
5.1
Assigner Short Name
GitHub_M
Date Reserved
2023-12-15T20:57:23.174Z
Cisa Enriched
true

Threat ID: 682d9840c4522896dcbf0f3d

Added to database: 5/21/2025, 9:09:20 AM

Last enriched: 6/24/2025, 5:56:04 AM

Last updated: 7/28/2025, 10:19:29 PM

Views: 10

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