CVE-2025-53022: TrustedFirmware-M (aka Trusted Firmware for M profile Arm CPUs) before 2.1.3 and 2.2.x before 2.2.1 lacks length validation during a firmware upgrade....

Description

TrustedFirmware-M (aka Trusted Firmware for M profile Arm CPUs) before 2.1.3 and 2.2.x before 2.2.1 lacks length validation during a firmware upgrade. While processing a new image, the Firmware Upgrade (FWU) module does not validate the length field of the Type-Length-Value (TLV) structure for dependent components against the maximum allowed size. If the length specified in the TLV exceeds the size of the buffer allocated on the stack, the FWU module will overwrite the buffer (and potentially other stack data) with the TLV's value content. An attacker could exploit this by crafting a malicious TLV entry in the unprotected section of the MCUBoot upgrade image. By setting the length field to exceed the expected structure size, the attacker can manipulate the stack memory of the system during the upgrade process.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

8.6/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:L

EPSS Probability

0.41%

32.9th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-121

References

Timeline

Published: Jul 30, 2025
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Deferred

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-53022?

TrustedFirmware-M (aka Trusted Firmware for M profile Arm CPUs) before 2.1.3 and 2.2.x before 2.2.1 lacks length validation during a firmware upgrade. While processing a new image, the Firmware Upgrade (FWU) module does not validate the length field of the Type-Length-Value (TLV) structure for dependent components against the maximum allowed size. If the length specified in the TLV exceeds the size of the buffer allocated on the stack, the FWU module will overwrite the buffer (and potentially other stack data) with the TLV's value content. An attacker could exploit this by crafting a malicious TLV entry in the unprotected section of the MCUBoot upgrade image. By setting the length field to exceed the expected structure size, the attacker can manipulate the stack memory of the system during the upgrade process.

How severe is CVE-2025-53022?

CVE-2025-53022 has a CVSS score of 8.6/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.41% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2025-53022?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.