CVE-2026-25658: Ericsson Packet Core Gateway (PCG) - Improper handling of missing values Vulnerability

Synopsis

An improper handling of missing values vulnerability (CWE-230) affects Ericsson Packet Core Gateway (PCG) versions prior to 1.30. An unauthenticated attacker on the same network segment can repeatedly send specially crafted messages to trigger service degradation, with the impact persisting for as long as the attack continues. Successful exploitation causes repeated crashes of the PCG service, though the system self-recovers once the attack stops. A patched-image rebuild at version 1.30 is available on HarborGuard for affected environments.

HarborGuard Coverage

Exploit Conditions

• Network reachabilityDetail

  The attacker must be on an adjacent network (LAN, VPN, or equivalent broadcast domain) to reach the vulnerable PCG service; remote over-the-internet exploitation is not possible without prior network access.

• AuthenticationNot required

  No credentials or account are needed; the attacker can send the malformed messages anonymously.

• Victim interactionNot required

  No user action or interaction from a victim is required to trigger the vulnerability.

• Attack complexityDetail

  Attack complexity is low, meaning the exploit is reliable and requires no special timing, race conditions, or environmental prerequisites beyond adjacent-network access.

Blast Radius

• Crashes the PCG service repeatedly, causing continuous availability loss for as long as the attack is sustained.
• Degrades packet core gateway throughput, disrupting connectivity for downstream network functions that depend on PCG.
• Forces repeated self-recovery cycles on the PCG host, consuming resources and increasing latency for legitimate traffic during each restart.