When using the Direct XIP update strategy, the main application image starts other cores (i.e. radio core), based on the currently active slot without additional verification. The MCUboot in the bare (upstream) configuration assumes that if there is at least a single slot for each image available, the system is bootable and continues the boot process. This may lead to a situation when MCUboot picks different slot for different images (i.e. (a) for the main application and (b) for the radio image), boots the main application (from slot (a)) that afterwards starts the radio image by providing an address of the unauthenticated slot ((a) instead of (b)).
History

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 21:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Nordic Semiconductor Asa
Nordic Semiconductor Asa nrf54h20
Vendors & Products Nordic Semiconductor Asa
Nordic Semiconductor Asa nrf54h20

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 16:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Mon, 07 Sep 2026 08:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description When using the Direct XIP update strategy, the main application image starts other cores (i.e. radio core), based on the currently active slot without additional verification. The MCUboot in the bare (upstream) configuration assumes that if there is at least a single slot for each image available, the system is bootable and continues the boot process. This may lead to a situation when MCUboot picks different slot for different images (i.e. (a) for the main application and (b) for the radio image), boots the main application (from slot (a)) that afterwards starts the radio image by providing an address of the unauthenticated slot ((a) instead of (b)).
Title nRF54H20: MCUBoot can be tricked to executing unauthenticated code
Weaknesses CWE-347
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}


cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: YesWeHack

Published: 2026-09-07T07:58:09.190Z

Updated: 2026-09-08T15:00:36.748Z

Reserved: 2026-07-01T09:51:22.466Z

Link: CVE-2026-14296

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-09-08T15:00:33.721Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Awaiting Analysis

Published: 2026-09-07T08:17:11.773

Modified: 2026-09-09T15:50:19.447

Link: CVE-2026-14296

cve-icon Redhat

No data.