CVE-2026-30802: RTI Connext Micro Buffer Overread Vulnerability – CVSS 8.2 HIGH

Technical summary

CVE-2026-30802 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in RTI Connext Micro's core libraries, classified under CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read). The flaw permits buffer overread, meaning the application can be forced to access memory locations outside the intended buffer allocation. With a CVSS v3.1 score of 8.2 (HIGH), the attack vector is network-accessible, requires no authentication or user interaction, and results in partial confidentiality loss (data exposure) and high availability impact. The integrity of data is not affected, but the combination of information disclosure and denial-of-service potential makes this a significant concern for production deployments.

Business impact

Organizations deploying RTI Connext Micro in critical real-time communication systems—such as industrial control, autonomous vehicles, robotics, or financial messaging—face both data breach and operational continuity risks. An exploit could expose proprietary algorithms, customer data, or system configuration details residing in memory. The high availability impact means attackers could trigger crashes, disrupting time-sensitive operations. In regulated environments (healthcare, finance, aviation), this violation of confidentiality and availability could trigger compliance violations and notification obligations.

Affected systems

RTI Connext Micro versions 4.0.0 through 4.2.x are vulnerable. RTI Connext Micro versions 2.4.5 and later versions in the 2.4.x branch are affected until patched. Systems running earlier versions (pre-4.0.0 or pre-2.4.5) or versions 4.3.0 and later are not impacted. Organizations should audit their Connext Micro deployments to identify the precise version in use.

Exploitability

This vulnerability is readily exploitable: it requires only network access and no credentials or user interaction. An attacker can craft a malicious network packet targeting the Connext Micro instance to trigger the out-of-bounds read. The low attack complexity means standard vulnerability scanning and reconnaissance could identify vulnerable instances. However, the vulnerability has not been added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog as of the current date, suggesting active exploitation in the wild has not yet been formally documented, though this does not guarantee the issue remains unexploited.

Remediation

Upgrade RTI Connext Micro to version 4.3.0 or later for the 4.x branch. For the 2.4.x branch, upgrade to the patched 2.4.x version specified in the RTI vendor advisory (verify against the vendor advisory for the exact patch version). Organizations unable to patch immediately should implement network segmentation to restrict access to Connext Micro instances, apply transport-layer encryption (TLS), and monitor for anomalous network traffic directed at the middleware.

Patch guidance

RTI has released patches addressing this vulnerability. Organizations on version 4.x should prioritize upgrading to 4.3.0 or later. For 2.4.5 and later 2.4.x users, consult RTI's official security advisory to identify the specific patched version in the 2.4.x lineage. Test patches in a staging environment replicating your real-time communication workload before production deployment, as middleware upgrades can affect dependent applications. Coordinate patching windows with business owners of systems relying on Connext Micro to minimize downtime.

Detection guidance

Monitor network traffic for unusual payloads sent to Connext Micro listener ports. Deploy intrusion detection signatures that identify attempts to trigger out-of-bounds reads in DDS (Data Distribution Service) protocol messages, if available from your IDS vendor. Enable verbose logging in Connext Micro to capture memory-related warnings or exceptions. Behavioral anomaly detection may flag unexpected memory access patterns or service crashes correlated with external network activity. Ensure core dumps are captured and analyzed post-incident to validate the root cause.

Why prioritize this

This is a HIGH-severity vulnerability with network exploitability, no authentication requirement, and dual impact on confidentiality and availability. Real-time systems in critical infrastructure, manufacturing, and transportation sectors depend on Connext Micro; compromise or disruption could have operational safety implications. Although not yet on the KEV list, the ease of exploitation and sensitive nature of data in typical DDS deployments warrant rapid patching. Prioritize systems in production environments where Connext Micro handles sensitive or real-time-critical communications.

Risk score, explained

The CVSS 8.2 score reflects a network-exploitable vulnerability with no authentication barrier and low attack complexity. The partial information disclosure (C:L) and high availability impact (A:H) drive the elevated score. Scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the attacker is confined to the security scope of the vulnerable component itself. While integrity is not directly compromised (I:N), the combination of confidentiality leak and denial-of-service potential creates significant operational and compliance risk, especially in mission-critical real-time environments.

Frequently asked questions