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CVE Record

CVE-2026-22024: CryptoLib Memory Leak in KMC Encrypt Function Leads to Resource Exhaustion

CryptoLib provides a software-only solution using the CCSDS Space Data Link Security Protocol - Extended Procedures (SDLS-EP) to secure communications between a spacecraft running the core Flight System (cFS) and a ground station. Prior to version 1.4.3, the cryptography_encrypt() function allocates multiple buffers for HTTP requests and JSON parsing that are never freed on any code path. Each call leaks approximately 400 bytes of memory. Sustained traffic can gradually exhaust available memory. This issue has been patched in version 1.4.3.

MediumCVSS 6.3Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2026-22024 is a memory leak in NASA CryptoLib before 1.4.3. Repeated encryption calls can slowly consume memory and degrade or disrupt availability. This matters most for systems using CryptoLib to secure spacecraft-to-ground communications. The published fix is version 1.4.3.

Executive priority

Treat as a targeted availability risk, not a broad enterprise emergency. Prioritize affected mission, ground-station, or lab systems using CryptoLib before 1.4.3, particularly where downtime or degraded communications would be operationally significant.

Technical view

In CryptoLib versions before 1.4.3, cryptography_encrypt() allocates buffers for HTTP requests and JSON parsing without freeing them. Sources state each call leaks about 400 bytes. Sustained traffic can cause resource exhaustion. The issue is classified as CWE-401 with CVSS 4.0 score 6.3.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to deployments using NASA CryptoLib before version 1.4.3, especially systems where cryptography_encrypt() is repeatedly invoked under sustained traffic.

Exploitation context

The CVSS vector indicates network reachability, low attack complexity, no privileges, and no user interaction, with low availability impact. The source bundle does not indicate CISA KEV listing or active exploitation.

Researcher notes

Evidence identifies a memory leak in cryptography_encrypt() fixed by commit and release v1.4.3. Public sources do not provide active exploitation evidence. Analysis should focus on version confirmation, code path reachability, workload frequency, and memory constraints rather than confidentiality or integrity impact.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade NASA CryptoLib to version 1.4.3 or later.
  • Review the linked vendor advisory and release notes before deployment.
  • Prioritize systems with constrained memory or sustained CryptoLib encryption traffic.
  • If immediate upgrade is not possible, monitor memory usage and service stability.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory systems using NASA CryptoLib and record deployed versions.
  • Confirm affected deployments are older than version 1.4.3.
  • Review dependency manifests, source builds, or release artifacts for CryptoLib version evidence.
  • After updating, verify CryptoLib reports or builds from version 1.4.3 or later.
  • Monitor memory behavior during normal encryption workloads.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
5

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.

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 · low confidence lookup

CWE-401: Exact CWE lookup

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2026-22024 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
6.3 (4.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
4Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
6.3CVSS 4.0MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N——Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 4.0 score

6.3Medium
CVSS 4.0 vector shape for CVE-2026-22024Attack VectorAttack ComplexityAttack RequirementsPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionVS ConfidentialityVS IntegrityVS AvailabilitySS ConfidentialitySS IntegritySS Availability

Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Attack Requirements
NonePresent
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NonePassiveActive
VS Confidentiality
HighLowNone
VS Integrity
HighLowNone
VS Availability
HighLowNone
SS Confidentiality
HighLowNone
SS Integrity
HighLowNone
SS Availability
HighLowNone

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
nasaCryptoLib< 1.4.3Listed
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-401

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

CWE-401 · source CWE mapping

Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime

Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

Open CWE intelligenceSame-CWE CVEs