CVE-2026-7656: Broken IPv6 Neighbor Discovery input validation allows spoofed RA/NS/NA acceptance in Zephyr net stack
The IPv6 Neighbor Discovery handlers in subsys/net/ip/ipv6nbr.c (handlerainput, handlensinput, handlenainput) used an incorrect boolean expression that combined the RFC 4861 validity checks with the ICMPv6 code check using the wrong operator precedence: the form was ((length/hop/source/target checks) && (icmphdr->code != 0)). Because every legitimate ND message carries ICMPv6 code 0, an attacker setting code == 0 (the normal value) caused the entire predicate to evaluate false, so the packet was never dropped and all of the other checks were silently skipped. The bypassed checks include the mandatory Hop Limit == 255 verification (which proves an ND packet originated on-link and was not forwarded) and, for Router Advertisements, the requirement that the source be a link-local address, as well as multicast-target sanity checks. As a result, an adjacent on-link attacker — and, because the Hop-Limit-255 guard is bypassed, potentially a remote/off-link attacker whose packets would otherwise be rejected — can have forged Router Advertisement, Neighbor Solicitation, and Neighbor Advertisement messages accepted. A forged RA lets the attacker reconfigure the victim's default router, on-link prefixes (SLAAC), MTU, reachable/retransmit timers, and (with CONFIGNETIPV6RARDNSS) DNS servers, while forged NS/NA enable neighbor-cache poisoning, enabling man-in-the-middle, traffic redirection, and denial of service. The flaw is an input-validation/authentication weakness rather than a memory-safety issue: the underlying packet-parsing primitives (netpktgetdata, netpktread, netpktskip) are independently bounds-safe and the validated length is the true buffer length, so skipping the length check causes no out-of-bounds access. The defect has existed since the logic was introduced in 2018 and shipped in all releases through v4.4.0; it is fixed by splitting the condition so any failing check drops the packet.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
Zephyr net stackto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in v4.4.0 - Configuration
Fix the incorrect boolean expression/operator precedence in handle_ra_input, handle_ns_input, and handle_na_input by splitting the condition so that any failing length/hop/source/target checks drop the packet; do not combine them with the ICMPv6 code check using the wrong precedence (the buggy form was ((length/hop/source/target checks) && (icmp_hdr->code != 0))). Ensure the Hop Limit == 255 verification and (for RAs) link-local source requirement are enforced for acceptance.
Zephyr subsys/net/ip/ipv6_nbr.c IPv6 Neighbor Discovery input validation predicate (handle_ra_input/handle_ns_input/handle_na_input) = Drop packet if any mandatory RFC 4861 validity check fails
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-7656?
CVE-2026-7656 has a high severity rating of 8.1.
What kind of vulnerability is CVE-2026-7656?
CVE-2026-7656 is a broken input validation vulnerability in the IPv6 Neighbor Discovery handlers of the Zephyr net stack.
What impact does CVE-2026-7656 have?
CVE-2026-7656 allows spoofed Router Advertisements, Neighbor Solicitation, and Neighbor Advertisements to be accepted.
How can I mitigate CVE-2026-7656?
To mitigate CVE-2026-7656, ensure that you are using the patched version of the Zephyr net stack that addresses this vulnerability.
Which software is affected by CVE-2026-7656?
CVE-2026-7656 affects the Zephyr net stack.