CVE-2025-53007 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting the Arduino core for the ESP32, specifically identified in versions prior to 3.3.0-RC1 and 3.2.1. This vulnerability allows for HTTP Response Splitting due to improper handling of HTTP header inputs in the `sendHeader` function. The function concatenates user-controlled input into HTTP headers without validation, leading to potential injection of carriage return (`\r`) or line feed (`\n`) characters.
Given the nature of this vulnerability, attackers may exploit this flaw to manipulate the HTTP response structure, inject additional headers, or even craft entirely new responses. The potential for header confusion and other attacks against the HTTP protocol poses significant risks to applications relying on this component.
Organizations using affected versions of Arduino ESP32 should prioritize patching to versions 3.3.0-RC1 or 3.2.1, which contain fixes for this issue. The urgency to address this vulnerability is underscored by the high CVSS score of 8.9, indicating a serious risk to confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
As of now, the vulnerability status is marked as deferred, and no known exploits have been confirmed in the wild. However, the implications of a successful attack necessitate immediate attention from security teams.
Vulnerability Details
The vulnerability is classified under CWE-113, which refers to HTTP Response Splitting. This occurs due to the `sendHeader` function's failure to validate or sanitize input parameters before appending them to the HTTP response headers. The lack of scrutiny enables attackers to inject malicious characters, leading to the potential injection of unintended headers.
The CVSS score of 8.9 categorizes this vulnerability as high severity, indicating that exploitation could result in significant impact to the affected systems. The attack vector is classified as NETWORK with low complexity, requiring no privileges or user interaction.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability is the insufficient input validation within the `sendHeader` function. The function processes inputs for the HTTP header name and value without ensuring they conform to expected formats, enabling attackers to manipulate the response headers.
The attack vector is network-based, making it accessible to remote attackers. The complexity of the attack is low, meaning that no special conditions or advanced techniques are required to exploit this vulnerability. Furthermore, no privileges are required, and user interaction is not necessary, enhancing the risk profile of the vulnerability.
The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is assessed as high, making this a critical vulnerability that needs to be addressed promptly.
Risk & Impact Analysis
The potential risks to organizations leveraging the affected Arduino ESP32 versions are significant. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access, data manipulation, and disruptions in service. The ability for an attacker to inject arbitrary headers could facilitate further attacks, including session hijacking and data leakage.
The urgency to remediate this vulnerability is underscored by its high CVSS score and the possibility of exploitation in active environments. Organizations should consider the potential blast radius of such an attack, especially if the component is widely deployed across various applications.
Given that this vulnerability is not currently listed in the KEV catalog, it may not have been widely recognized yet. However, the low EPSS score suggests that while it is not actively exploited, it remains a vulnerability of concern that organizations should monitor closely.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The affected versions of the Arduino ESP32 are those prior to 3.3.0-RC1 and 3.2.1. Organizations should ensure they are running the latest versions to mitigate this vulnerability.
Mitigation & Remediation
To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2025-53007, organizations should upgrade to Arduino ESP32 version 3.3.0-RC1 or later. If immediate patching is not feasible, consider implementing input validation and sanitization measures on HTTP headers within your application.
Additionally, organizations should conduct a thorough review of their web application firewalls and ensure they are configured to detect and block potential HTTP response splitting attacks.
For ongoing security assessments, organizations may benefit from engaging in penetration testing services to identify any similar weaknesses in their systems.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor logs for unusual HTTP responses and header manipulations. Look for patterns that indicate possible attempts to inject carriage return or line feed characters into headers.
Behavioral anomalies, such as unexpected redirects or modifications in response headers, should also be investigated to detect potential exploitation.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2025-53007 lies in its representation of common vulnerabilities in web applications, particularly in components that handle HTTP responses. Security teams should take this as a reminder to enforce strict validation protocols for all user inputs.
This vulnerability showcases the importance of maintaining an up-to-date inventory of software components, ensuring that all components are regularly patched to mitigate risks. Organizations should implement a comprehensive vulnerability management program to address such issues proactively.
Regular security assessments, including penetration testing methodology, can help organizations uncover hidden vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
In conclusion, while CVE-2025-53007 is currently deferred with no known active exploits, the implications of such vulnerabilities emphasize the need for continual vigilance and proactive security measures.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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