Ella Core has handover failures during concurrent Security Mode Command

Description

Summary

Ella Core didn't enforce security rules on concurrent running of security procedures defined in TS 33.501 §6.9.5.1 — it could send a NAS Security Mode Command while an N2 handover was still pending (and vice versa).

Impact

Concurrent Security Mode Command and N2 handover produce a KgNB mismatch between the UE and target gNB, causing the handover to fail. Requires a stalled gNB + re-registration race to trigger.

Fix

Ella Core now enforces both rules from §6.9.5.1, blocking concurrent Security Mode Command and N2 handover procedures.

Basic information

Type
reviewed
Severity
low
Advisory on GitHub
Open advisory ↗
Repository advisory
Open repository advisory ↗
Source code
Browse source ↗
Published (advisory)
2026-05-11 15:29:41 UTC
Updated
2026-06-08 23:48:58 UTC
GitHub reviewed
2026-05-11 15:29:41 UTC
NVD published
2026-05-27

EPSS Score

Score Percentile
0.02% 4.74%

CVSS Scores

Base score Version Severity Vector
3.7 3.1
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:A)
Attacker has to be nearby on the network—same office, same link, that vibe—not the whole wide internet.
Attack complexity (AC:H)
Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:L)
A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:N)
Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:L)
Attackers could change some data, but it’s limited—not everything goes.
Availability (A:L)
Might cause slowdowns, glitches, or partial disruption—not a full brick.

Identifiers

CWEs

CWE id Name
CWE-358 Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard

Credits

  • SJNA0414 (finder)
  • ICSR-KMU (sponsor)
  • bradypus404 (analyst)

Affected packages (1)

Vulnerable version ranges and first patched releases as published by GitHub.

Ecosystem Package Vulnerable range First patched Vulnerable functions
go github.com/ellanetworks/core < 1.10.0 1.10.0

References

cvelogic Threat Intelligence