The airbag detonation algorithm allows injury to passenger-car occupants via predictable Security Access (SA) data to the internal CAN bus (or the OBD connector)
Published Oct 20, 2017
4.7
MEDIUMCVSS 3.0
EPSS 0.99%
Description
The airbag detonation algorithm allows injury to passenger-car occupants via predictable Security Access (SA) data to the internal CAN bus (or the OBD connector). This affects the airbag control units (aka pyrotechnical control units or PCUs) of unspecified passenger vehicles manufactured in 2014 or later, when the ignition is on and the speed is less than 6 km/h. Specifically, there are only 256 possible key pairs, and authentication attempts have no rate limit. In addition, at least one manufacturer's interpretation of the ISO 26021 standard is that it must be possible to calculate the key directly (i.e., the other 255 key pairs must not be used). Exploitation would typically involve an attacker who has already gained access to the CAN bus, and sends a crafted Unified Diagnostic Service (UDS) message to detonate the pyrotechnical charges, resulting in the same passenger-injury risks as in any airbag deployment.
Affected products
Remediation
No remediation recorded yet.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.1 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.
Score over time
2021–2026- EPSS v1
- EPSS v5
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
Percentile over time
- EPSS v1
- EPSS v5
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
Table of values (15 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 0.99% (0.00994) | 61.27th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.99% (0.00994) | 57.94th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Oct 24, 2025 | 3.67% (0.03673) | 87.36th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 5.75% (0.05752) | 89.53th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 29, 2025 | 3.23% (0.03228) | 78.29th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 5.75% (0.05752) | 89.78th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.06% (0.00061) | 27.97th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jun 7, 2024 | 0.06% (0.00061) | 25.90th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.06% (0.00061) | 23.90th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 5.84% (0.05844) | 90.48th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Sep 16, 2021 | 5.84% (0.05841) | 89.14th | v1 |
| Sep 15, 2021 | 0.83% (0.00833) | 57.53th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Sep 14, 2021 | 0.83% (0.00833) | 57.49th | v1 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | 5.84% (0.05841) | 89.13th | v1 |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 5.84% (0.05841) | 0.00th | v1 |
References (3)
- http://www.mmt.hs-karlsruhe.de/downloads/IEEM/Schwachstellen/PCU_Vulnerability_Description_HsKA.PDF x_refsource_MISCThird Party Advisory
- https://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/post/hardware/automotive/pdt x_refsource_MISC
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321183727_Security_Evaluation_of_an_Airbag-ECU_by_Reusing_Threat_Modeling_Artefacts x_refsource_MISC
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://www.mmt.hs-karlsruhe.de/downloads/IEEM/Schwachstellen/PCU_Vulnerability_Description_HsKA.PDF | x_refsource_MISCThird Party Advisory | |
| https://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/post/hardware/automotive/pdt | x_refsource_MISC | |
| https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321183727_Security_Evaluation_of_an_Airbag-ECU_by_Reusing_Threat_Modeling_Artefacts | x_refsource_MISC |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.