CVE-2024-40494: Classic Buffer Overflow
Source CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 9.8 Critical.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 09:15 UTC
- EPSS
- 1.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 67% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 22 Oct 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
AI-suggested
Given the lack of an official patch, organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Deploy network-level filtering to restrict inbound CoAP traffic to trusted sources only, using firewalls or intrusion prevention systems to block unsolicited or suspicious CoAP packets. 2) Employ network segmentation to isolate IoT devices running FreeCoAP from critical enterprise networks, limiting potential lateral movement. 3) Monitor network traffic for anomalous CoAP messages indicative of exploitation attempts, leveraging protocol-aware intrusion detection systems. 4) Where possible, disable CoAP services on devices that do not require remote access or restrict CoAP usage to secure, private networks. 5) Engage with device vendors or open-source maintainers to track patch releases and apply updates promptly once available. 6) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration tests focusing on IoT devices to identify and remediate vulnerabilities proactively. 7) Implement application-layer protections such as input validation and rate limiting if device firmware can be updated or customized. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on network controls, monitoring, and vendor engagement specific to the FreeCoAP context.
Description
Buffer Overflow in coap_msg.c in FreeCoAP allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (stack buffer overflow) via a crafted packet.