CVE-2026-11835

MEDIUMCVSS 5.7/10EPSS 0.11%

Last modified

CVE-2026-11835 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 5.7/10 on the CVSS scale. Time-of-check time-of-use (TOCTOU) vulnerability combined with missing input validation in Caliptra Core ROM (UpdateResetFlow::run()) in subsystem mode allows a compromised local attacker to silently bypass secure boot by supplying an AXI staging address that is not validated against the strap-configured SS_EXTERNAL_STAGING_AREA_BASE_ADDR, enabling firmware to be modified between verification and loading into ICCM. Attestation continues to report the originally verified image digest, masking the compromise. EPSS estimates a 0.11% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

Time-of-check time-of-use (TOCTOU) vulnerability combined with missing input validation in Caliptra Core ROM (UpdateResetFlow::run()) in subsystem mode allows a compromised local attacker to silently bypass secure boot by supplying an AXI staging address that is not validated against the strap-configured SS_EXTERNAL_STAGING_AREA_BASE_ADDR, enabling firmware to be modified between verification and loading into ICCM. Attestation continues to report the originally verified image digest, masking the compromise. Exploitation requires a compromised MCU firmware with AXI manager access to unprotected SRAM reachable by Caliptra. This issue affects Core ROM: 2.1.0 through 2.1.1.

Metrics

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Source: CNA advisory (CVE.org). NVD analysis pending.

VendorProductVersions
CaliptraCore ROM>= 2.1.0, <= 2.1.1

References

Timeline

Published
Last Modified
Status
Awaiting Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-11835?
Time-of-check time-of-use (TOCTOU) vulnerability combined with missing input validation in Caliptra Core ROM (UpdateResetFlow::run()) in subsystem mode allows a compromised local attacker to silently bypass secure boot by supplying an AXI staging address that is not validated against the strap-configured SS_EXTERNAL_STAGING_AREA_BASE_ADDR, enabling firmware to be modified between verification and loading into ICCM. Attestation continues to report the originally verified image digest, masking the compromise. Exploitation requires a compromised MCU firmware with AXI manager access to unprotected SRAM reachable by Caliptra. This issue affects Core ROM: 2.1.0 through 2.1.1.
How severe is CVE-2026-11835?
CVE-2026-11835 has a CVSS score of 5.7/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.11% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2026-11835?
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.

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Source: NVD / NIST