Summary
An integer overflow in the API component's protobuf decoder allows denial-of-service attacks when API encryption is not used.
Details
The bounds check ptr + field_length > end in components/api/proto.cpp can overflow when a malicious client sends a large field_length value. This affects all ESPHome device platforms (ESP32, ESP8266, RP2040, LibreTiny). The overflow bypasses the out-of-bounds check, causing the device to read invalid memory and crash.
When using the plaintext API protocol, this attack can be performed without authentication. When noise encryption is enabled, knowledge of the encryption key is required.
Affected Versions
ESPHome 2025.9.0 through 2025.12.6
Mitigation
- Upgrade to ESPHome 2025.12.7 or later (or 2026.1.0b3 or later)
- Enable API encryption with a unique key per device
- Follow the Security Best Practices
Severity
Low - Users following Security Best Practices with API encryption enabled are not affected without knowledge of the encryption key.
Credits
Thanks to @Mat931 for responsibly reporting this vulnerability.
Impact
Denial-of-service. An attacker with network access to port 6053 can crash and reboot the device.
An arithmetic operation produces a value that exceeds the integer type's maximum, causing it to wrap to an unexpected small value. Typical impact: incorrect size calculations leading to heap overflows or logic errors.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
Remediation advice
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-23833? CVE-2026-23833 is a medium-severity integer overflow or wraparound vulnerability in esphome (pip), affecting versions >= 2025.9.0, < 2025.12.7. It is fixed in 2025.12.7. An arithmetic operation produces a value that exceeds the integer type's maximum, causing it to wrap to an unexpected small value.
- Which versions of esphome are affected by CVE-2026-23833? esphome (pip) versions >= 2025.9.0, < 2025.12.7 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-23833? Yes. CVE-2026-23833 is fixed in 2025.12.7. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-23833 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-23833 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-23833 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-23833? Upgrade
esphometo 2025.12.7 or later.