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CVE-2018-9988: ARM mbed TLS before 2.1.11, before 2.7.2, and before 2.8.0 has a buffer over-read in ssl_parse_server_key_e...

ARM mbed TLS before 2.1.11, before 2.7.2, and before 2.8.0 has a buffer over-read in ssl_parse_server_key_exchange() that could cause a crash on invalid input.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2018-9988 is a crash-risk flaw in ARM mbed TLS. Older versions can read past a buffer while handling malformed TLS server key exchange data. The documented impact is denial of service through a crash, not confirmed data theft or system takeover.

Executive priority

Treat this as a controlled remediation item unless affected assets are internet-facing clients or embedded systems connecting to untrusted TLS endpoints. The main business risk is service disruption from crashes.

Technical view

ARM mbed TLS before 2.1.11, before 2.7.2, and before 2.8.0 contains a buffer over-read in ssl_parse_server_key_exchange(). Invalid input can trigger a crash. The source bundle identifies upstream commits and release notes, plus Debian LTS updates for polarssl/mbedtls packaging.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely in applications, embedded firmware, or distributions bundling vulnerable mbed TLS or older polarssl/mbedtls packages. The bundle does not identify specific downstream products beyond Debian advisories.

Exploitation context

No active exploitation evidence is provided. KEV is false in the bundle. The known scenario is malformed TLS input causing a crash during server key exchange parsing.

Researcher notes

The available evidence supports a buffer over-read denial-of-service issue in ssl_parse_server_key_exchange(). No CVSS, CWE, exploit status, or broader impact details are included in the bundle, so avoid expanding claims beyond crash behavior.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade mbed TLS to 2.1.11, 2.7.2, 2.8.0, or later.
  • Apply applicable Debian LTS polarssl or mbedtls security updates.
  • Check embedded vendor guidance for products bundling mbed TLS.
  • Prioritize systems that connect to untrusted TLS servers.
  • Monitor affected applications for TLS handshake crash patterns.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory applications and firmware using mbed TLS or polarssl.
  • Compare detected versions against the vulnerable version ranges.
  • Check OS package advisories for applied Debian LTS fixes.
  • Review dependency manifests and statically linked library evidence.
  • Confirm upgraded builds include the referenced upstream fixes.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
7

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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.

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CVE-2018-9988 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

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.

0CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
6Source links

CVSS and timeline data

No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
n/an/an/aListed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.