CVE-2024-57258 is an integer overflow vulnerability classified under CWE-190 affecting the denx U-Boot bootloader prior to version 2025.01-rc1. The flaw occurs during memory allocation routines when processing a specially crafted squashfs filesystem image. Specifically, the vulnerability arises due to integer overflows in the sbrk system call emulation, the request2size function, or mishandling of the ptrdiff_t type on x86_64 architectures. These overflows can cause incorrect memory allocation sizes, leading to buffer overflows or memory corruption. Since U-Boot is a widely used open-source bootloader in embedded systems, this vulnerability can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with bootloader privileges or cause denial of service by crashing the boot process. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.1 (high), with an attack vector requiring physical access (AV:P), high attack complexity (AC:H), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N). The scope is changed (S:C), indicating that exploitation can affect components beyond the vulnerable code, with high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. No public exploits are currently known, but the vulnerability is critical for embedded device security. The vulnerability was reserved on 2025-01-09 and published on 2025-02-18, with no patches linked yet, indicating that remediation may be pending or in progress.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-57258 is significant, especially for those relying on embedded systems, industrial control systems, telecommunications infrastructure, or IoT devices that use vulnerable versions of U-Boot. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain unauthorized control over device boot processes, leading to persistent compromise, data theft, or disruption of critical services. This can affect confidentiality by exposing sensitive bootloader or firmware data, integrity by allowing malicious code injection, and availability by causing device failures or bricking. Given the physical access requirement, attacks may be more likely in environments with less physical security or where attackers have insider access. The high attack complexity reduces the likelihood of widespread exploitation but does not eliminate risk in targeted attacks. The absence of known exploits suggests a window for proactive mitigation. The vulnerability could disrupt supply chains and critical infrastructure, impacting sectors such as manufacturing, energy, and transportation across Europe.

1. Immediately plan to upgrade all affected U-Boot instances to version 2025.01-rc1 or later once available. 2. Audit all embedded devices and firmware images to identify usage of vulnerable U-Boot versions, especially those processing squashfs filesystems. 3. Implement strict physical security controls to prevent unauthorized physical access to devices that use U-Boot. 4. Restrict network access to embedded devices to trusted personnel and networks, minimizing exposure. 5. Employ firmware integrity verification mechanisms such as secure boot and signed firmware images to detect unauthorized modifications. 6. Monitor device logs and behavior for anomalies indicative of exploitation attempts. 7. Coordinate with device vendors and suppliers to ensure timely patch deployment and firmware updates. 8. For critical infrastructure, consider network segmentation and additional layers of defense to isolate vulnerable devices. 9. Educate operational technology (OT) and embedded system teams about this vulnerability and response procedures. 10. Maintain an incident response plan tailored to embedded device compromise scenarios.