📄 Description (English)
Golioth Pouch version 0.1.0, prior to commit 1b2219a1, contains a heap-based buffer overflow in BLE GATT server certificate handling. server_cert_write() allocates a heap buffer of size CONFIG_POUCH_SERVER_CERT_MAX_LEN when receiving the first fragment, then appends subsequent fragments using memcpy() without verifying that sufficient capacity remains. An adjacent BLE client can send unauthenticated fragments whose combined size exceeds the allocated buffer, causing a heap overflow and crash; integrity impact is also possible due to memory corruption.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2026-23750 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in Golioth Pouch BLE GATT server certificate handling that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to cause denial of service and potential memory corruption. The vulnerability exists in versions prior to commit 1b2219a1 and affects BLE-enabled IoT devices. An attacker can send fragmented BLE packets exceeding the allocated buffer size, triggering a heap overflow without requiring authentication.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 26, 2026 06:55
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
This vulnerability primarily impacts Saudi organizations deploying BLE-enabled IoT and embedded systems, particularly in: (1) Healthcare sector — medical devices and wearables using Golioth Pouch for secure communication; (2) Energy/ARAMCO — IoT sensors and monitoring systems in oil/gas infrastructure; (3) Telecommunications/STC — IoT network infrastructure and smart city deployments; (4) Government/NCA — critical infrastructure monitoring systems. The unauthenticated nature of the attack and proximity-only requirement (BLE range ~100m) make it a moderate threat to facilities with external-facing BLE deployments.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Healthcare
Energy/Oil & Gas
Telecommunications
Government
Smart City Infrastructure
Manufacturing/Industrial IoT
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
7.2
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Identify all Golioth Pouch deployments in your organization, particularly BLE GATT servers handling certificate operations
2. Assess network exposure: determine if BLE devices are accessible from untrusted locations or public areas
3. Implement physical security controls to restrict BLE access to authorized personnel only
PATCHING GUIDANCE:
1. Update Golioth Pouch to commit 1b2219a1 or later immediately
2. Verify the patch includes bounds checking in server_cert_write() function before memcpy() operations
3. Test patches in non-production environments first, particularly for critical infrastructure
4. Establish a firmware update schedule for all affected BLE devices
COMPENSATING CONTROLS (if immediate patching not possible):
1. Disable BLE GATT certificate handling if not required for operations
2. Implement BLE MAC address filtering to allow only known/trusted devices
3. Deploy BLE intrusion detection to monitor for fragmented packet anomalies
4. Isolate affected devices on separate network segments with restricted access
5. Monitor system logs for unexpected crashes or memory corruption indicators
DETECTION RULES:
1. Monitor for BLE GATT write operations with fragmented payloads exceeding CONFIG_POUCH_SERVER_CERT_MAX_LEN
2. Alert on unexpected device crashes or restarts following BLE certificate operations
3. Track memory corruption indicators in system logs (segmentation faults, heap corruption messages)
4. Monitor for repeated BLE connection attempts from unknown MAC addresses
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. حدد جميع نشرات Golioth Pouch في مؤسستك، خاصة خوادم BLE GATT التي تتعامل مع عمليات الشهادات
2. قيّم التعرض للشبكة: حدد ما إذا كانت أجهزة BLE يمكن الوصول إليها من مواقع غير موثوقة أو مناطق عامة
3. تنفيذ ضوابط الأمان المادي لتقييد وصول BLE للموظفين المصرح لهم فقط
إرشادات التصحيح:
1. قم بتحديث Golioth Pouch إلى الالتزام 1b2219a1 أو أحدث على الفور
2. تحقق من أن التصحيح يتضمن فحص الحدود في دالة server_cert_write() قبل عمليات memcpy()
3. اختبر التصحيحات في بيئات غير الإنتاج أولاً، خاصة للبنية التحتية الحرجة
4. إنشاء جدول زمني لتحديث البرامج الثابتة لجميع أجهزة BLE المتأثرة
الضوابط البديلة (إذا لم يكن التصحيح الفوري ممكناً):
1. تعطيل معالجة شهادات BLE GATT إذا لم تكن مطلوبة للعمليات
2. تنفيذ تصفية عناوين MAC لـ BLE للسماح فقط بالأجهزة المعروفة/الموثوقة
3. نشر كشف الاختراق BLE لمراقبة شذوذ الحزم المجزأة
4. عزل الأجهزة المتأثرة على قطاعات شبكة منفصلة مع وصول مقيد
5. مراقبة سجلات النظام للمؤشرات المحتملة لفساد الذاكرة أو الأعطال غير المتوقعة
قواعد الكشف:
1. مراقبة عمليات كتابة BLE GATT مع حمولات مجزأة تتجاوز CONFIG_POUCH_SERVER_CERT_MAX_LEN
2. تنبيه على أعطال الجهاز أو إعادة التشغيل غير المتوقعة بعد عمليات شهادات BLE
3. تتبع مؤشرات فساد الذاكرة في سجلات النظام (أخطاء التقسيم، رسائل فساد الكومة)
4. مراقبة محاولات الاتصال المتكررة بـ BLE من عناوين MAC غير معروفة
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities in IoT/embedded systems
ECC 2024 A.14.2.1 - Secure development and change management for firmware
ECC 2024 A.13.1.3 - Segregation of networks for IoT devices
🔵 SAMA CSF
SAMA CSF ID.BE-1 - Asset management and inventory of IoT devices
SAMA CSF PR.DS-6 - Data security and integrity in wireless communications
SAMA CSF DE.CM-1 - Detection and monitoring of anomalous activities
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
ISO 27001:2022 A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
ISO 27001:2022 A.14.2.1 - Secure development and change management
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.3.1 - Segregation of networks
🔗 References & Sources 4
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https://blog.secmate.dev/posts/golioth-vulnerabilities-disclosure/
disclosure@vulncheck.com
https://github.com/golioth/pouch/commit/1b2219a1
disclosure@vulncheck.com
https://secmate.dev/disclosures/SECMATE-2025-0018
disclosure@vulncheck.com
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/golioth-pouch-ble-gatt-heap-based-buffer-overflow
disclosure@vulncheck.com