nRF54H20: MCUBoot can be tricked to executing unauthenticated code
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Adjacent network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-347.
Summary
When using the Direct XIP update strategy, the main application image starts other cores (i.e. radio core), based on the currently active slot without additional verification. The MCUboot in the bare (upstream) configuration assumes that if there is at least a single slot for each image available, the system is bootable and continues the boot process. This may lead to a situation when MCUboot picks different slot for different images (i.e. (a) for the main application and (b) for the radio image), boots the main application (from slot (a)) that afterwards starts the radio image by providing an address of the unauthenticated slot ((a) instead of (b)).
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nordic Semiconductor ASA | nRF54H20 | 3.2; 3.3 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- nRF54H20 VendorNordic Semiconductor ASA Affected 3.2; 3.3 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-14296
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-j59p-mqmr-fcgh
References
More Nordic Semiconductor ASA vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-12094 Out-of-bounds write in Nordic Semiconductor ASA nRF Connect SDK CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
- TI-2026-15396 QSPI flash encryption side-channel leakage CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.8
Sources
- CVE-2026-14296 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-14296 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-j59p-mqmr-fcgh · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences