Overview
CVE-2025-64342 describes a vulnerability found in Espressif’s ESP-IDF (Espressif Internet of Things Development Framework). This issue can cause Bluetooth advertising to stop unexpectedly when the ESP32 receives a connection request with an invalid Access Address (AA) while in advertising mode. This can lead to a denial-of-service condition and potentially disrupt the intended functionality of the IoT device.
Technical Details
The vulnerability occurs when the ESP32, running ESP-IDF, is in Bluetooth advertising mode. If it receives a connection request containing an invalid Access Address (AA) of either 0x00000000 or 0xFFFFFFFF, the advertising process may terminate prematurely. The underlying issue causes the controller to incorrectly report a connection event to the host. Consequently, the application layer might falsely assume a successful connection has been established, leading to unpredictable application behavior.
CVSS Analysis
According to the information available, a CVSS score has not yet been assigned to this vulnerability (N/A). The severity is also listed as N/A. However, the potential for denial-of-service in IoT devices suggests that this vulnerability should be addressed promptly.
Possible Impact
The impact of CVE-2025-64342 primarily centers around potential denial-of-service (DoS) scenarios. Specifically:
- Advertising Disruption: The most direct impact is the interruption of Bluetooth advertising, preventing other devices from discovering and connecting to the affected ESP32 device.
- Connection Errors: The false reporting of a successful connection can cause application-level errors and lead to unexpected behavior, potentially disrupting critical functionality.
- Device Unavailability: In scenarios where Bluetooth connectivity is essential for the device’s operation, the vulnerability can render the device unavailable.
Mitigation and Patch Steps
Espressif has addressed this vulnerability in the following ESP-IDF versions:
- 5.5.2 (Fixed in commit 3b95b50)
- 5.4.3
- 5.3.5 (Fixed in commit e3d7042)
- 5.2.6
- 5.1.7 (Fixed in commit 75967b5)
Users of affected ESP-IDF versions are strongly advised to upgrade to one of the patched versions to mitigate this vulnerability. If upgrading is not immediately feasible, consider implementing workarounds such as validating the Access Address in connection requests at the application layer.
References
- Commit 309f031dd6b04de30c926a256508c65b0df95dfa
- Commit 3b95b50703cd3301a370cffaa1cc299b1941fe2a
- Commit 75967b578563ea7876dc215251cbb6d64bc9d768
- Commit 8ec541023684d33b498fa21c5b4724bce748aa7b
- Commit bf66761962579f73aea682d1154b9c99b9d3d7dc
- Commit e3d70429566ece1ef593d36aa4ebd320e0c95925
- GHSA-8mg7-9qpg-p92v Security Advisory
