CVE-2021-21257: Contiki-NG is an open-source, cross-platform operating system for internet of things devices.

Contiki-NG is an open-source, cross-platform operating system for internet of things devices.

Contiki-NG is an open-source, cross-platform operating system for internet of things devices. The RPL-Classic and RPL-Lite implementations in the Contiki-NG operating system versions prior to 4.6 do not validate the address pointer in the RPL source routing header This makes it possible for an attacker to cause out-of-bounds writes with packets injected into the network stack. Specifically, the problem lies in the rpl_ext_header_srh_update function in the two rpl-ext-header.c modules for RPL-Classic and RPL-Lite respectively. The addr_ptr variable is calculated using an unvalidated CMPR field value from the source routing header. An out-of-bounds write can be triggered on line 151 in os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl-ext-header.c and line 261 in os/net/routing/rpl-classic/rpl-ext-header.c, which contain the following memcpy call with addr_ptr as destination. The problem has been patched in Contiki-NG 4.6. Users can apply a patch out-of-band as a workaround.

Description from the National Vulnerability Database, published by GitHub

What it means for a small business

If your business uses contiki-ng, install the vendor's update. If you're not sure whether you use it, ask whoever manages your computers.

How likely is an attack? The Exploit Prediction Scoring System, run by FIRST (the global association of security response teams), puts the odds of this one being exploited in the next 30 days at 1.1%, higher than 65% of CVEs. That’s above average: worth scheduling this week. Scored October 28, 2026, updated daily.

Check your own setup

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Server check: what your web server says about itself, and whether that version has known flaws.

Sources

Part of the Huttenlocher Technologies vulnerability database, refreshed twice a day from CISA and the NVD. The title, category and plain-language guidance are ours; check the linked record before acting on a detail. This is general guidance, not a review of your systems.

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