CVE-2026-13479 Out-of-bounds read in LoRaWAN clock-sync AppTimeAns downlink handler
A malicious network server can trigger an out-of-bounds read in Zephyr's LoRaWAN clock-sync handler, potentially corrupting the device's time offset.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-13479?
CVE-2026-13479 is a low-severity vulnerability in Zephyrproject Zephyr, published on 26 Aug 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
The LoRaWAN application-layer clock-synchronization service parses downlinks in clock_sync_package_callback() (subsys/lorawan/services/clock_sync.c). Its command loop only guarantees that the one-byte command id is in bounds; for the CLOCK_SYNC_CMD_APP_TIME (AppTimeAns) command the handler then reads a 4-byte time correction via sys_get_le32() plus a 1-byte token without checking that 5 bytes remain in the receive buffer (len - rx_pos). A short or crafted AppTimeAns therefore reads up to 5 bytes past the end of the decrypted payload.
The payload (rx_buf/len) is the decrypted application frame delivered to the registered downlink callback (mcps_indication->Buffer/BufferSize). Reaching the handler requires a frame on the clock-sync port that passes LoRaWAN's MAC integrity check and FRMPayload decryption, so the practical attacker is a malicious or compromised network/application server (the designated sender of AppTimeAns) or a party holding the session keys, rather than an arbitrary radio listener.
The over-read is bounded: the backing store is a fixed 255-byte static buffer, so the few stray bytes do not fault, and the read values (time_correction, token) are used only internally and never transmitted, so there is no disclosure to the attacker and no crash. The sole effect is that a stale token matching ctx.req_token can apply a garbage time_correction to the device's own clock offset (ctx.time_offset), a minor integrity impact confined to the victim's time estimate. The fix adds an explicit length check that drops a too-short AppTimeAns. Note the sibling one-byte reads in the periodicity and force-resync handlers remain unguarded with the same negligible impact.
Weakness: CWE-125
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-13479?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Zephyrproject Zephyr.
How do I fix CVE-2026-13479?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-13479 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Is CVE-2026-13479 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-13479 in the wild and no public exploit code.
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Sources
Also known as GHSA-2m6g-p3vx-p2fh.