CVE-2018-16528
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAmazon Web Services (AWS) FreeRTOS through 1.3.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code because of mbedTLS context object corruption in prvSetupConnection and GGD_SecureConnect_Connect in AWS TLS connectivity modules.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceAWS FreeRTOS through 1.3.1 contains a memory corruption vulnerability in the mbedTLS context objects used within the TLS connectivity modules. Specifically, the prvSetupConnection and GGD_SecureConnect_Connect functions fail to properly handle mbedTLS contexts, leading to object corruption that can be exploited by remote attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data<= 1.3.1CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify AWS FreeRTOS installationSearch for FreeRTOS header files (e.g., FreeRTOS.h) or build configuration files in your project directory that indicate AWS FreeRTOS is presentAffected if AWS FreeRTOS code or libraries are found in your environment
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Determine the installed AWS FreeRTOS versionLocate the version definition file (typically version.h or similar) and read the FreeRTOS version constant; alternatively, check the git tag or release notes if using version controlAffected if The version is 1.3.1 or earlier (any version <= 1.3.1)
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Verify mbedTLS is used for TLS connectivitySearch for mbedTLS header includes (such as mbedtls/ssl.h, mbedtls/entropy.h) or library linkage in the TLS-related source files within your FreeRTOS implementationAffected if mbedTLS is used as the TLS library in your FreeRTOS build
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Locate the vulnerable TLS connection functionsSearch the source code for the functions prvSetupConnection and GGD_SecureConnect_Connect; these are typically found in the TLS or connectivity module source filesAffected if Both functions exist in your codebase and are compiled into your firmware/application
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Inspect the mbedTLS context handling in affected functionsReview the source code of prvSetupConnection and GGD_SecureConnect_Connect for proper initialization and cleanup of mbedTLS context structures (mbedtls_ssl_context, mbedtls_ssl_config, mbedtls_entropy_context)Affected if The code shows missing or improper mbedTLS context initialization/cleanup before use
Your environment is affected if you are using AWS FreeRTOS version 1.3.1 or earlier that includes the prvSetupConnection or GGD_SecureConnect_Connect functions with mbedTLS for TLS connectivity.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpgrade to a patched version of AWS FreeRTOS beyond 1.3.1 that addresses the mbedTLS context corruption. If no update is available, review and harden the TLS connection handling code in the affected functions, ensuring proper initialization and cleanup of mbedTLS context structures.
- Consultation8.0 h
- Implementation16.0 h
- Testing12.0 h
- Review / QA8.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2018-16528 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2018-16528 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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