CVE-2026-67978 in cFS
Summary
by MITRE • 08/04/2026
An issue in the SBN UDP interface of NASA cFS v7.0.1 allows attackers to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via transmitting a crafted SBN frame.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2026
The vulnerability resides within the Spacecraft Flight System version 7.0.1 developed by NASA, specifically affecting the Software Bus Network UDP interface implementation. This flaw manifests as a denial of service condition that can be triggered through the transmission of specially crafted SBN frames over the network. The SBN interface serves as a critical communication layer within the cFS architecture, facilitating data exchange between various software components and subsystems aboard spacecraft or ground-based systems. The UDP protocol choice for this interface introduces specific attack surface characteristics that make it susceptible to malformed packet injection attacks.
The technical root cause stems from insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms within the SBN frame processing logic. When the system receives a crafted SBN frame, the parsing routines fail to properly validate frame structure, length parameters, or header fields before attempting to process the payload. This lack of proper sanitization allows maliciously constructed frames to trigger unexpected behavior in the underlying network stack or protocol handler. The vulnerability is classified as a weakness in input validation, aligning with CWE-20 which encompasses improper input validation issues that can lead to various security consequences including denial of service conditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption, potentially compromising mission-critical spacecraft operations where cFS serves as the primary flight software framework. In space applications, such denial of service conditions can result in complete communication breakdown between subsystems, leading to loss of telemetry data, inability to execute commanded operations, or complete system lockup. The attack vector requires only network access to the UDP interface, making it particularly concerning for environments where spacecraft systems may be exposed to untrusted networks or where physical security controls are insufficient.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation at multiple layers of the communication stack, including frame header validation, payload size restrictions, and proper error handling routines that prevent malformed frames from causing system crashes. Network segmentation and access control measures can reduce exposure by limiting which systems can communicate with the vulnerable UDP interface. The implementation should follow defensive programming principles as recommended in MITRE ATT&CK framework for operating system security, specifically addressing techniques related to input validation and privilege escalation. Regular firmware updates and security patches should be deployed to address similar vulnerabilities across all cFS implementations, while network monitoring tools should be configured to detect anomalous frame patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.