CVE-2026-42081
Last modified
CVE-2026-42081 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.1/10 on the CVSS scale. free5GC is an open-source implementation of the 5G core network. Prior to 4.2.2, the AMF in Free5GC does not verify the UE Security Capabilities received in NGAP PathSwitchRequest messages against its locally stored values, as mandated by 3GPP TS 33.501 §6.7.3.1. EPSS estimates a 0.27% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.
Description
free5GC is an open-source implementation of the 5G core network. Prior to 4.2.2, the AMF in Free5GC does not verify the UE Security Capabilities received in NGAP PathSwitchRequest messages against its locally stored values, as mandated by 3GPP TS 33.501 §6.7.3.1. A malicious gNB can overwrite the AMF's stored UE security capabilities with arbitrary values, which are then propagated in PathSwitchRequest Acknowledge messages and subsequent Handover Request messages. This leads to persistent handover denial-of-service for affected UEs. This vulnerability is fixed in 4.2.2.
Metrics
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H
Weakness Enumeration
Affected Software
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Free5gc | Free5gc | < 4.2.2 |
References
- https://github.com/free5gc/free5gc/security/advisories/GHSA-77x9-rf64-92gvExploit, Vendor Advisory
- https://github.com/free5gc/free5gc/security/advisories/GHSA-77x9-rf64-92gvExploit, Vendor Advisory
Timeline
- Published
- Last Modified
- Status
- Analyzed
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How Strix Helps
- How Strix found a critical auth bypass in etcdStrix autonomously discovered a critical authentication bypass in etcd, later designated CVE-2026-33413.
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