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CVE-2018-18558

Status: ModifiedMedium (6.4)—

An issue was discovered in Espressif ESP-IDF 2.x and 3.x before 3.0.6 and 3.1.x before 3.1.1. Insufficient validation of input data in the 2nd stage bootloader allows a physically proximate attacker to bypass secure boot checks and execute arbitrary code, by crafting an application binary that overwrites a bootloader code segment in process_segment in components/bootloader_support/src/esp_image_format.c. The attack is effective when the flash encryption feature is not enabled, or if the attacker finds a different vulnerability that allows them to write this binary to flash memory.

CVSS

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).

Affected technologies (1)

Espressif — Esp-idf

CWEs

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

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{
  "id": "CVE-2018-18558",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV2": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "2.0",
          "baseScore": 6.9,
          "accessVector": "LOCAL",
          "vectorString": "AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C",
          "authentication": "NONE",
          "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "accessComplexity": "MEDIUM",
          "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE"
        },
        "acInsufInfo": false,
        "impactScore": 10,
        "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
        "obtainAllPrivilege": false,
        "exploitabilityScore": 3.4,
        "obtainUserPrivilege": false,
        "obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
        "userInteractionRequired": false
      }
    ],
    "cvssMetricV30": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "version": "3.0",
          "baseScore": 6.4,
          "attackVector": "PHYSICAL",
          "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.0/AV:P/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "attackComplexity": "HIGH",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"
        },
        "impactScore": 5.9,
        "exploitabilityScore": 0.5
      }
    ]
  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "cve@mitre.org",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "n/a",
          "product": "n/a",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "n/a"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "published": "2019-05-13T13:29:02.103",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/espressif/esp-idf/releases",
      "tags": [
        "Release Notes",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.espressif.com/en/news/Espressif_Product_Security_Advisory_Concerning_Secure_Boot_%28CVE-2018-18558%29",
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/espressif/esp-idf/releases",
      "tags": [
        "Release Notes",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.espressif.com/en/news/Espressif_Product_Security_Advisory_Concerning_Secure_Boot_%28CVE-2018-18558%29",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "type": "Primary",
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-20"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "An issue was discovered in Espressif ESP-IDF 2.x and 3.x before 3.0.6 and 3.1.x before 3.1.1. Insufficient validation of input data in the 2nd stage bootloader allows a physically proximate attacker to bypass secure boot checks and execute arbitrary code, by crafting an application binary that overwrites a bootloader code segment in process_segment in components/bootloader_support/src/esp_image_format.c. The attack is effective when the flash encryption feature is not enabled, or if the attacker finds a different vulnerability that allows them to write this binary to flash memory."
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "Se descubrió un problema en Espressif ESP-IDF versión 2.x y versión 3.x anterior a 3.0.6 y versión 3.1.x anterior a 3.1.1. La comprobación insuficiente de los datos de entrada en el gestor de arranque de la segunda etapa permite que un atacante físicamente próximo omita las comprobaciones de arranque seguras y ejecute código arbitrario, creando un binario de aplicación que sobrescriba un segmento de código del gestor de arranque en el parámetro process_segment en el archivo components/bootloader_support/src/esp_image_format.c. El ataque es exitoso cuando la función de cifrado flash está inhabilitada, o si el atacante encuentra una vulnerabilidad distinta que le permite escribir este binario en la memoria flash."
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T01:47:30.130",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:espressif:esp-idf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "A16A6B0D-D949-4CD3-B16B-66B56E381F6C",
              "versionEndExcluding": "3.0.6",
              "versionStartIncluding": "2.0"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:espressif:esp-idf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "B969656A-0BC9-4869-96FE-0D08C9EBB83D",
              "versionEndIncluding": "3.1.1",
              "versionStartIncluding": "3.1"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "cve@mitre.org"
}