QSPI flash encryption side-channel leakage
Priority LOW 31CWE-1342Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Physical
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Attack requirements
- Present
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
Any application that uses external QSPI flash for encrypted XIP on nRF5340 and relies on that encryption for confidentiality and/or integrity of the externally stored code. No specific nRF Connect SDK version is the root cause; the weakness is in the on-the-fly decryption scheme.
Why it matters now
Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00104 1st percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet
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 | nRF5340 | All build codes | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- nRF5340 VendorNordic Semiconductor ASA Affected All build codes Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-18796
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-q9vx-6fw9-4mv8
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-2026-12093 nRF54H20: MCUBoot can be tricked to executing unauthenticated code CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-18796 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-18796 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-q9vx-6fw9-4mv8 · 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