CVE-2026-45541: CWE-476: NULL Pointer Dereference in espressif esp-idf
A NULL-pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the esp_http_server component of the Espressif esp-idf framework in versions 5. 2. 6, 5. 3. 5, 5. 4. 4, 5. 5. 4, and 6. 0.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2026-45541 is a NULL-pointer dereference vulnerability (CWE-476) in the esp_http_server component of the Espressif esp-idf framework. It affects versions 5.2.6, 5.3.5, 5.4.4, 5.5.4, and 6.0. The vulnerability arises in the WebSocket subprotocol-negotiation path where the client-supplied Sec-WebSocket-Protocol header is tokenized without a NULL check. If the header is malformed, this leads to dereferencing a NULL pointer, causing the server to crash before any application-level authentication is performed. This denial of service condition can disrupt service availability. The issue has been patched in versions 5.2.7, 5.3.6, 5.4.5, 5.5.5, and 6.0.1.
Potential Impact
The vulnerability allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to cause a denial of service by crashing the esp_http_server through a malformed Sec-WebSocket-Protocol header during the WebSocket handshake. There is no impact on confidentiality or integrity, but availability is affected due to server crashes.
Mitigation Recommendations
A fix is available in esp-idf versions 5.2.7, 5.3.6, 5.4.5, 5.5.5, and 6.0.1. Users should upgrade to these or later versions to remediate the vulnerability. No other mitigations are specified or required.
CVE-2026-45541: CWE-476: NULL Pointer Dereference in espressif esp-idf
Description
A NULL-pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the esp_http_server component of the Espressif esp-idf framework in versions 5. 2. 6, 5. 3. 5, 5. 4. 4, 5. 5. 4, and 6. 0.
CVSS v3.1
Score 7.5high
Weaknesses
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-45541 is a NULL-pointer dereference vulnerability (CWE-476) in the esp_http_server component of the Espressif esp-idf framework. It affects versions 5.2.6, 5.3.5, 5.4.4, 5.5.4, and 6.0. The vulnerability arises in the WebSocket subprotocol-negotiation path where the client-supplied Sec-WebSocket-Protocol header is tokenized without a NULL check. If the header is malformed, this leads to dereferencing a NULL pointer, causing the server to crash before any application-level authentication is performed. This denial of service condition can disrupt service availability. The issue has been patched in versions 5.2.7, 5.3.6, 5.4.5, 5.5.5, and 6.0.1.
Potential Impact
The vulnerability allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to cause a denial of service by crashing the esp_http_server through a malformed Sec-WebSocket-Protocol header during the WebSocket handshake. There is no impact on confidentiality or integrity, but availability is affected due to server crashes.
Mitigation Recommendations
A fix is available in esp-idf versions 5.2.7, 5.3.6, 5.4.5, 5.5.5, and 6.0.1. Users should upgrade to these or later versions to remediate the vulnerability. No other mitigations are specified or required.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- GitHub_M
- Date Reserved
- 2026-05-12T17:48:47.878Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
Threat ID: 6a28c09e8dd33fbd85c1ae6b
Added to database: 6/10/2026, 1:40:46 AM
Last enriched: 6/10/2026, 1:55:53 AM
Last updated: 6/10/2026, 2:58:28 AM
Views: 5
Community Reviews
0 reviewsCrowdsource mitigation strategies, share intel context, and vote on the most helpful responses. Sign in to add your voice and help keep defenders ahead.
Want to contribute mitigation steps or threat intel context? Sign in or create an account to join the community discussion.
Actions
Updates to AI analysis require Pro Console access. Upgrade inside Console → Billing.
Need more coverage?
Upgrade to Pro Console for AI refresh and higher limits.
For incident response and remediation, OffSeq services can help resolve threats faster.
Latest Threats
Check if your credentials are on the dark web
Instant breach scanning across billions of leaked records. Free tier available.