Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Nanopb versions before 0.3.1 contain integer overflow flaws in byte and string decoding. If software parses attacker-controlled Protocol Buffer data with the affected library, memory corruption could result. The CVSS vector rates this as remotely reachable without authentication or user interaction, but the provided sources do not show active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat as high-priority where Nanopb processes untrusted data, especially externally reachable inputs. The score is critical, but urgency depends on confirmed library presence and exposure path.
Technical view
CVE-2014-125106 covers size_t overflows in Nanopb pb_dec_bytes and pb_dec_string before 0.3.1. The weakness is mapped to CWE-787, indicating possible out-of-bounds memory access after unsafe size handling. The source bundle points to a fixing commit, changelog, and 0.3.0-to-0.3.1 comparison.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely in products or services that bundle Nanopb before 0.3.1 and decode untrusted Protocol Buffer messages. The CVE metadata lacks CPEs and lists affected vendor/product as n/a, so direct dependency and vendored-source inventory is required.
Exploitation context
The provided CVSS vector indicates network attack surface, low complexity, no privileges, and no user interaction. KEV is false, and no cited source in the bundle confirms active exploitation or public weaponization.
Researcher notes
The main evidence is concise: CVE text, CVSS, CWE-787, and upstream references. Affected metadata is incomplete, with no CPEs. Do not assume all Nanopb consumers are exposed; validate version, build inclusion, and whether attacker-controlled data reaches the affected decoders.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade Nanopb to version 0.3.1 or later.
- Identify and update vendored copies of Nanopb source code.
- Check upstream product or device vendor guidance for packaged fixes.
- Prioritize systems parsing external or unauthenticated Protocol Buffer input.
- Redeploy rebuilt firmware, services, or libraries after dependency replacement.
Validation and detection
- Inventory direct, transitive, and vendored Nanopb usage.
- Confirm deployed Nanopb versions are 0.3.1 or later.
- Compare local source against the referenced fixing commit.
- Review data flows reaching pb_dec_bytes or pb_dec_string.
- Run safe regression or sanitizer testing on protobuf parsing paths.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-787: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2014-125106 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H3.95.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.8CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Out-of-bounds Write
Out-of-bounds Write represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.