# CVE-2024-57256: Integer overflow in U-Boot

> An integer overflow in U-Boot's ext4 symlink handling allows attackers to trigger memory overwrites via crafted filesystems, potentially leading to code execution.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 18 Feb 2025
- **Updated:** 12 May 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2024-57256, GHSA-vmjq-93g5-fvqc, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-57256

## What is CVE-2024-57256?

CVE-2024-57256 is a high-severity vulnerability in denx U-Boot, published on 18 Feb 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An integer overflow in ext4fs_read_symlink in Das U-Boot before 2025.01-rc1 occurs for zalloc (adding one to an le32 variable) via a crafted ext4 filesystem with an inode size of 0xffffffff, resulting in a malloc of zero and resultant memory overwrite.

Weakness: CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-57256?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Denx U-Boot.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-57256?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2024-57256 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-57256 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in denx U-Boot

- [CVE-2022-34835](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-34835/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-30767](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-30767/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-8432](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8432/): Use after free in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-14192](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-14192/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-14193](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-14193/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-57256 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-57256 is a high-severity vulnerability in denx U-Boot, published on 18 Feb 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-57256 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: denx U-Boot. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-57256/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-57256/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-57256
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-57256
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-57256

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-57256/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.