Zephyr Project up to 4.4.1 Settings Management settings_mgmt.c resource consumption

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Zephyr Project Zephyr up to 4.4.1. The affected element is the function settings_mgmt_read/settings_mgmt_write/settings_mgmt_delete of the file subsys/mgmt/mcumgr/grp/settings_mgmt/src/settings_mgmt.c of the component Settings Management Handler. Executing a manipulation can lead to resource consumption. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2026-15892. The attack may be launched remotely. There is no exploit available. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Zephyr Project Zephyr up to 4.4.1. This vulnerability affects the function settings_mgmt_read/settings_mgmt_write/settings_mgmt_delete of the file subsys/mgmt/mcumgr/grp/settings_mgmt/src/settings_mgmt.c of the component Settings Management Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a resource consumption vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-400. The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource, thereby enabling an actor to influence the amount of resources consumed, eventually leading to the exhaustion of available resources. As an impact it is known to affect availability. CVE summarizes:

The mcumgr SMP settings-management group handlers settings_mgmt_read(), settings_mgmt_write(), and settings_mgmt_delete() in subsys/mgmt/mcumgr/grp/settings_mgmt/src/settings_mgmt.c allocate a key_name buffer (and, for read, a data buffer) via k_malloc() when CONFIG_MCUMGR_GRP_SETTINGS_BUFFER_TYPE_HEAP is enabled, relying on the end: label to k_free() them. When CONFIG_MCUMGR_GRP_SETTINGS_ACCESS_HOOK is also enabled and the application access hook rejects a request by returning status MGMT_CB_ERROR_RC, the handler executed return ret_rc; directly, bypassing end: and leaking the heap allocation on every rejected request. The settings handlers are reachable over the unauthenticated SMP transport (Bluetooth LE, UART, or UDP, depending on product configuration). The access hook is the mechanism applications use to deny unauthorized settings access, and MGMT_CB_ERROR_RC is a common rejection style, so an attacker who can send settings read/write/delete commands that the hook rejects triggers a heap leak on each attempt. Because the leaked memory is never reclaimed until reboot, a sustained stream of rejected requests monotonically exhausts the kernel heap until k_malloc() fails, denying mcumgr service and impacting any other heap consumer on the device — a denial of service. The impact is availability-only; there is no memory corruption or information disclosure. Only configurations that select the heap buffer type, enable the access hook, and register a hook that returns MGMT_CB_ERROR_RC are affected (the default stack buffer type cannot leak).

The advisory is available at github.com. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-15892 since 07/15/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be initiated remotely. No form of authentication is required for a successful exploitation. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit. This vulnerability is assigned to T1499 by the MITRE ATT&CK project.

Upgrading to version 4.4.2 eliminates this vulnerability.

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Productinfo

Type

• Project Management Software

Vendor

• Zephyr Project

Name

• Zephyr

Version

• 4.4.0
• 4.4.1

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Entryinfo

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