diff --git a/target/linux/ramips/image/mt76x8.mk b/target/linux/ramips/image/mt76x8.mk
index 15bc1ee703..16fbad2bbc 100644
--- a/target/linux/ramips/image/mt76x8.mk
+++ b/target/linux/ramips/image/mt76x8.mk
@@ -115,10 +115,10 @@ define Device/netgear_r6120
   IMAGE_SIZE := $(ralink_default_fw_size_16M)
   DEVICE_TITLE := Netgear AC1200 R6120
   DEVICE_PACKAGES := kmod-usb2 kmod-usb-ohci
-  SERCOMM_KERNEL_OFFSET := 90000
+  SERCOMM_KERNEL_OFFSET := 0x90000
   SERCOMM_HWID := CGQ
   SERCOMM_HWVER := A001
-  SERCOMM_SWVER := 0040
+  SERCOMM_SWVER := 0x0040
   IMAGES += factory.img
   IMAGE/default := append-kernel | pad-to $$$$(BLOCKSIZE)| append-rootfs | pad-rootfs
   IMAGE/sysupgrade.bin := $$(IMAGE/default) | append-metadata | check-size $$$$(IMAGE_SIZE)
diff --git a/tools/firmware-utils/src/mksercommfw.c b/tools/firmware-utils/src/mksercommfw.c
index ccd5d67a87..e3b499a097 100644
--- a/tools/firmware-utils/src/mksercommfw.c
+++ b/tools/firmware-utils/src/mksercommfw.c
@@ -2,139 +2,198 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <asm/byteorder.h>
 
 /* #define DEBUG 1 */
 
-/*
- * Fw Header Layout for Netgear / Sercomm devices
- * */
-static const char *magic = "sErCoMm"; /* 7 */
-/* 7-11: version control/download control ? */
-unsigned char version[4] = {0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00};
-char *hwID = ""; /* 11-43 , ASCII/HEX */
-char *hwVer = ""; /* 44-57 , ASCII/HEX */
-char *swVer = ""; /* 58-62 , ASCII/HEX */
-/* magic again. */
+#ifdef DEBUG
+#define DBG(...) {printf(__VA_ARGS__); }
+#else
+#define DBG(...) {}
+#endif
 
+#define ERR(...) {printf(__VA_ARGS__); }
+#define ALIGN(a,b) ((a) + ((b) - ((a) % (b))))
+#define ROOTFS_ALIGN 128
 #define HEADER_SIZE 71
 
-/* null bytes until 511 */
-u_int32_t checksum = 0xFF; /* checksum */
+/*
+ * Fw Header Layout for Netgear / Sercomm devices (bytes)
+ *
+ * Size : 512 bytes + zipped image size
+ *
+ * Locations:
+ * magic  : 0-6    ASCII
+ * version: 7-11   fixed
+ * hwID   : 11-44  ASCII
+ * hwVer  : 45-54  ASCII
+ * swVer  : 55-62  uint32_t in BE
+ * magic  : 63-69  ASCII
+ * ChkSum : 511    Inverse value of the full image checksum while this location is 0x00
+ */
+
+static const char* magic = "sErCoMm"; /* 7 */
+
+/* 7-11: version control/download control ? */
+static const unsigned char version[4] = { 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00 };
+
+
 /* 512 onwards -> ZIP containing rootfs with the same Header */
 
-
-/* appended on rootfs for the Header. */
-const int footer_size = 128;
-
 struct file_info {
-	char		*file_name;	/* name of the file */
-	char		*file_data;	/* data of the file in memory */
-	u_int32_t	 file_size;	/* length of the file */
+	char* file_name; /* name of the file */
+	char* file_data; /* data of the file in memory */
+	u_int32_t file_size; /* length of the file */
 };
 
-u_int8_t getCheckSum(char *data, int len)
-{
+static u_int8_t getCheckSum(char* data, int len) {
+	u_int8_t new = 0;
 
-	int32_t previous = 0;
-	u_int32_t new = 0;
-
-	for (u_int32_t i = 0; i < len; i++) {
-		new = (data[i] + previous) % 256;
-		previous = new | previous & -256;
-	}
-	return (u_int8_t) new;
-}
-
-void *bufferFile(struct file_info *finfo, int dontload)
-{
-	int fs = 0;
-	FILE *f = NULL;
-
-#ifdef DEBUG
-	printf("Opening file: %s\n", finfo->file_name);
-#endif
-	f = fopen(finfo->file_name, "rb");
-	if (f == NULL) {
-		perror("Error");
-		exit(1);
-	}
-
-	fseek(f, 0L, SEEK_END);
-	fs = ftell(f);
-	rewind(f);
-
-#ifdef DEBUG
-	printf("Filesize: %i .\n", fs);
-#endif
-
-	finfo->file_size = fs;
-
-	if (dontload) {
+	if (!data) {
+		ERR("Invalid pointer provided!\n");
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	char *data = malloc(fs);
-	finfo->file_data = data;
-
-	int read = fread(data, fs, 1, f);
-
-	if (read != 1) {
-		printf("Error reading file %s.", finfo->file_name);
-		exit(1);
+	for (int i = 0; i < len; i++) {
+		new += data[i];
 	}
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-	printf("File: read successfully %i bytes.\n", read*fs);
-#endif
-	fclose(f);
+	return new;
 }
 
-void *writeFile(struct file_info *finfo)
-{
+static int bufferFile(struct file_info* finfo) {
+	int fs = 0;
+	FILE* fp = NULL;
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-	printf("Writing file: %s.\n", finfo->file_name);
-#endif
-
-	FILE *fout = fopen(finfo->file_name, "w");
-
-	if (!fwrite(finfo->file_data, finfo->file_size, 1, fout)) {
-		printf("Wanted to write, but something went wrong.\n");
-		fclose(fout);
-		exit(1);
+	if (!finfo || !finfo->file_name) {
+		ERR("Invalid pointer provided!\n");
+		return -1;
 	}
-	fclose(fout);
+
+	DBG("Opening file: %s\n", finfo->file_name);
+
+	if (!(fp = fopen(finfo->file_name, "rb"))) {
+		ERR("Error opening file: %s\n", finfo->file_name);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	/* Get filesize */
+	rewind(fp);
+	fseek(fp, 0L, SEEK_END);
+	fs = ftell(fp);
+	rewind(fp);
+
+	if (fs < 0) {
+		ERR("Error getting filesize: %s\n", finfo->file_name);
+		fclose(fp);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	DBG("Filesize: %i\n", fs);
+	finfo->file_size = fs;
+
+	if (!(finfo->file_data = malloc(fs))) {
+		ERR("Out of memory!\n");
+		fclose(fp);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if (fread(finfo->file_data, 1, fs, fp) != fs) {
+		ERR("Error reading file %s\n", finfo->file_name);
+		fclose(fp);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	DBG("File: read successful\n");
+	fclose(fp);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
-void *rmFile(struct file_info *finfo)
-{
-	remove(finfo->file_name);
-	free(finfo->file_data);
+static int writeFile(struct file_info* finfo) {
+	FILE* fp;
+
+	if (!finfo || !finfo->file_name) {
+		ERR("Invalid pointer provided!\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	DBG("Opening file: %s\n", finfo->file_name);
+
+	if (!(fp = fopen(finfo->file_name, "w"))) {
+		ERR("Error opening file: %s\n", finfo->file_name);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	DBG("Writing file: %s\n", finfo->file_name);
+
+	if (fwrite(finfo->file_data, 1, finfo->file_size, fp) != finfo->file_size) {
+		ERR("Wanted to write, but something went wrong!\n");
+		fclose(fp);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	fclose(fp);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static void fi_clean(struct file_info* finfo) {
+	if (!finfo)
+		return;
+
+	if (finfo->file_name) {
+		finfo->file_name = NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (finfo->file_data) {
+		free(finfo->file_data);
+		finfo->file_data = NULL;
+	}
+
 	finfo->file_size = 0;
 }
 
-void *usage(char *argv[])
-{
-	printf("Usage: %s <sysupgradefile> <kernel_offset> <HWID> <HWVER> <SWID>\n"
-		"All are positional arguments ...	\n"
-		"	sysupgradefile:		File with the kernel uimage at 0\n"
-		"	kernel_offset:		Offset in Hex where the kernel is located\n"
-		"	HWID:			Hardware ID, ASCII\n"
-		"	HWVER:			Hardware Version, ASCII\n"
-		"	SWID:			Software Version, Hex\n"
-		"	\n"
-		"	", argv[0]);
+static void usage(char* argv[]) {
+    printf("Usage: %s <sysupgradefile> <kernel_offset> <HWID> <HWVER> <SWID>\n"
+           "All are positional arguments ...	\n"
+           "	sysupgradefile:     File with the kernel uimage at 0\n"
+           "	kernel_offset:      Offset where the kernel is located (decimal, hex or octal notation)\n"
+           "	HWID:               Hardware ID, ASCII\n"
+           "	HWVER:              Hardware Version, ASCII\n"
+           "	SWID:               Software Version (decimal, hex or octal notation)\n"
+           "	\n"
+           , argv[0]);
 }
 
-int main(int argc, char *argv[])
-{
-	printf("Building fw image for sercomm devices.\n");
+int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
+	int ret = 1;
+	int rootfsname_sz;
+	int zipfsname_sz;
+	int zipcmd_sz;
+	u_int32_t kernel_offset = 0x90000; /* offset for the kernel inside the rootfs, default val */
+	u_int32_t swVer = 0;
+	struct file_info sysupgrade = { 0 };
+	struct file_info header = { 0 };
+	struct file_info rootfs = { 0 };
+	struct file_info zippedfs = { 0 };
+	struct file_info image = { 0 };
+	char* hwID = NULL;
+	char* hwVer = NULL;
+	char* rootfsname = NULL;
+	char* zipfsname = NULL;
+	char* zipcmd = NULL;
+	u_int8_t chkSum;
 
 	if (argc == 2) {
-		struct file_info myfile = {argv[1], 0, 0};
-		bufferFile(&myfile, 0);
-		char chksum = getCheckSum(myfile.file_data, myfile.file_size);
-		printf("Checksum for File: %X.\n", chksum);
+		struct file_info myfile = { argv[1], 0, 0 };
+
+		if (bufferFile(&myfile))
+			return 1;
+
+		chkSum = getCheckSum(myfile.file_data, myfile.file_size);
+		printf("Checksum for File: 0x%hhX\n", chkSum);
+
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -143,113 +202,202 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	/* Args */
+	printf("Building fw image for sercomm devices ..\n");
 
-	struct file_info sysupgrade = {argv[1], 0, 0};
-	bufferFile(&sysupgrade, 0);
+	/* process args */
+	hwID = argv[3];
+	hwVer = argv[4];
 
-	int kernel_offset = 0x90000; /* offset for the kernel inside the rootfs, default val */
-	sscanf(argv[2], "%X", &kernel_offset);
-#ifdef DEBUG
-	printf("Kernel_offset: at %X/%i bytes.\n", kernel_offset, kernel_offset);
-#endif
-	char *hwID = argv[3];
-	char *hwVer = argv[4];
-	u_int32_t swVer = 0;
-	sscanf(argv[5],"%4X",&swVer);
-	swVer = bswap_32(swVer);
+	sysupgrade.file_name = argv[1];
+	image.file_name = argv[1];
+	kernel_offset = (u_int32_t) strtol(argv[2], NULL, 0);
+	swVer = (u_int32_t) strtol(argv[5], NULL, 0);
+	swVer = __cpu_to_be32(swVer);
 
-	char *rootfsname = malloc(2*strlen(sysupgrade.file_name) + 8);
-	sprintf(rootfsname, "%s.rootfs", sysupgrade.file_name);
+	/* Check if files actually exist */
+	if (access(sysupgrade.file_name, (F_OK | R_OK))) {
+		/* Error */
+		ERR("File not found: %s\n", sysupgrade.file_name);
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
 
-	char *zipfsname = malloc(2*strlen(rootfsname) + 5);
-	sprintf(zipfsname, "%s.zip", rootfsname);
-	/* / Args */
+	/* Calculate amount of required memory (incl. 0-term) */
+	rootfsname_sz = strlen(sysupgrade.file_name) + 7 + 1;
+	zipfsname_sz = strlen(sysupgrade.file_name) + 7 + 4 + 1;
+
+	/* Allocate required memory */
+	if (!(rootfsname = (char*) malloc(rootfsname_sz)) || !(zipfsname =
+			(char*) malloc(zipfsname_sz))) {
+		/* Error */
+		ERR("Out of memory!\n");
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	/* Create filenames */
+	if (snprintf(rootfsname, rootfsname_sz, "%s.rootfs", sysupgrade.file_name)
+			>= rootfsname_sz
+			|| snprintf(zipfsname, zipfsname_sz, "%s.rootfs.zip",
+					sysupgrade.file_name) >= zipfsname_sz) {
+		/* Error */
+		ERR("Buffer too small!\n");
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	/* Buffer all files */
+	if (bufferFile(&sysupgrade)) {
+		/* Error */
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	DBG("Building header: %s %s %2X %s\n", hwID, hwVer, swVer, magic);
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-	printf("Building header: %s %s %2X %s.\n", hwID , hwVer, swVer, magic);
-#endif
 	/* Construct the firmware header/magic */
-	struct file_info header = {0, 0, 0};
+	header.file_name = NULL;
 	header.file_size = HEADER_SIZE;
-	header.file_data = malloc(HEADER_SIZE);
-	bzero(header.file_data, header.file_size);
 
-	char *tg = header.file_data;
-	strcpy(tg, magic);
-	memcpy(tg+7, version, 4*sizeof(char));
-	strcpy(tg+11, hwID);
-	strcpy(tg+45, hwVer);
-	memcpy(tg+55, &swVer,sizeof(u_int32_t));
-	strcpy(tg+63, magic);
+	if (!(header.file_data = (char*) calloc(1, HEADER_SIZE))) {
+		/* Error */
+		ERR("Out of memory!\n");
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	strncpy(header.file_data + 0, magic, 7);
+	memcpy(header.file_data + 7, version, sizeof(version));
+	strncpy(header.file_data + 11, hwID, 34);
+	strncpy(header.file_data + 45, hwVer, 10);
+	memcpy(header.file_data + 55, &swVer, sizeof(swVer));
+	strncpy(header.file_data + 63, magic, 7);
+
+	DBG("Creating rootfs ..\n");
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-	printf("Header done, now creating rootfs.");
-#endif
 	/* Construct a rootfs */
-	struct file_info rootfs = {0, 0, 0};
-	rootfs.file_size = sysupgrade.file_size + kernel_offset + footer_size;
-	rootfs.file_data =  malloc(rootfs.file_size);
-	bzero(rootfs.file_data, rootfs.file_size);
 	rootfs.file_name = rootfsname;
+	rootfs.file_size = ALIGN(
+			sysupgrade.file_size + kernel_offset + header.file_size,
+			ROOTFS_ALIGN);
 
-	/* copy Owrt image to Kernel location */
-	memcpy(rootfs.file_data+kernel_offset, sysupgrade.file_data, sysupgrade.file_size);
+	if (!(rootfs.file_data = calloc(1, rootfs.file_size))) {
+		/* Error */
+		ERR("Out of memory!\n");
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
 
-	/* 22 added to get away from sysup image, no other reason.
-	 *  updater searches for magic anyway */
-	tg = rootfs.file_data + kernel_offset + sysupgrade.file_size+22;
+	/* copy Owrt image to kernel location */
+	memcpy(rootfs.file_data + kernel_offset, sysupgrade.file_data,
+			sysupgrade.file_size);
 
-	memcpy(tg, header.file_data, header.file_size);
-	writeFile(&rootfs);
+	/* Append header after the owrt image.  The updater searches for it */
+	memcpy(rootfs.file_data + kernel_offset + sysupgrade.file_size,
+			header.file_data, header.file_size);
+
+	/* Write to file */
+	if (writeFile(&rootfs)) {
+		/* Error */
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	/* Construct a zip */
+	DBG("Preparing to zip ..\n");
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-	printf("Preparing to zip.\n");
-#endif
 	/* now that we got the rootfs, repeat the whole thing again(sorta):
 	 * 1. zip the rootfs */
-	char *zipper = malloc(5 + 2*strlen(rootfs.file_name) + 6);
-	sprintf(zipper, "%s %s %s", "zip ", zipfsname, rootfs.file_name);
-	int ret = system(zipper);
+	zipcmd_sz = 3 + 1 + strlen(zipfsname) + 1 + strlen(rootfs.file_name) + 1;
 
-	/* clear rootfs file */
-	rmFile(&rootfs);
+	if (!(zipcmd = malloc(zipcmd_sz))) {
+		/* Error */
+		ERR("Out of memory!\n");
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	if (snprintf(zipcmd, zipcmd_sz, "%s %s %s", "zip", zipfsname,
+			rootfs.file_name) >= zipcmd_sz) {
+		/* Error */
+		ERR("Buffer too small!\n");
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	if (system(zipcmd)) {
+		/* Error */
+		ERR("Error creating a zip file!\n");
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
 
 	/* and load zipped fs */
-	struct file_info zippedfs = {zipfsname, 0, 0};
-	bufferFile(&zippedfs, 0);
+	zippedfs.file_name = zipfsname;
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-	printf("Creating Image.\n");
-#endif
+	if (bufferFile(&zippedfs)) {
+		/* Error */
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
 
-	/* 2. create new file 512+rootfs size */
-	struct file_info image = {argv[1], 0, 0};
-	image.file_data = malloc(zippedfs.file_size + 512);
+	DBG("Creating Image.\n");
+
+	/* 2. create new file 512 + rootfs size */
 	image.file_size = zippedfs.file_size + 512;
+	if (!(image.file_data = malloc(zippedfs.file_size + 512))) {
+		/* Error */
+		ERR("Out of memory!\n");
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
 
-	/* 3. copy zipfile at loc 512 */
-	memcpy(image.file_data+512, zippedfs.file_data, zippedfs.file_size);
-	rmFile(&zippedfs);
-
-	/* 4. add header to file */
+	/* 3. add header to file */
 	memcpy(image.file_data, header.file_data, header.file_size);
 
-	/* 5. do a checksum run, and compute checksum */
-	char chksum = getCheckSum(image.file_data, image.file_size);
-#ifdef DEBUG
-	printf("Checksum for Image: %X.\n", chksum);
-#endif
+	/* 4. clear remaining space */
+	if (header.file_size < 512)
+		memset(image.file_data + header.file_size, 0, 512 - header.file_size);
 
-	/* 6. write the checksum invert into byte 511 to bring it to 0 */
-	chksum = (chksum ^ 0xFF) + 1;
-	memcpy(image.file_data+511, &chksum, 1);
+	/* 5. copy zipfile at loc 512 */
+	memcpy(image.file_data + 512, zippedfs.file_data, zippedfs.file_size);
 
-	chksum = getCheckSum(image.file_data, image.file_size);
-#ifdef DEBUG
-	printf("Checksum for after fix: %X.\n", chksum);
-#endif
-	/* 7. pray that the updater will accept the file */
-	writeFile(&image);
-	return 0;
+	/* 6. do a checksum run, and compute checksum */
+	chkSum = getCheckSum(image.file_data, image.file_size);
+
+	DBG("Checksum for Image: %hhX\n", chkSum);
+
+	/* 7. write the checksum inverted into byte 511 to bring it to 0 on verification */
+	chkSum = (chkSum ^ 0xFF) + 1;
+	image.file_data[511] = (char) chkSum;
+
+	chkSum = getCheckSum(image.file_data, image.file_size);
+	DBG("Checksum for after fix: %hhX\n", chkSum);
+
+	if (chkSum != 0) {
+		ERR("Invalid checksum!\n")
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	/* 8. pray that the updater will accept the file */
+	if (writeFile(&image)) {
+		/* Error */
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	/* All seems OK */
+	ret = 0;
+
+	cleanup:
+
+	if (rootfs.file_name && !access(rootfs.file_name, F_OK | W_OK))
+		remove(rootfs.file_name);
+
+	if (zippedfs.file_name && !access(zippedfs.file_name, F_OK | W_OK))
+		remove(zippedfs.file_name);
+
+	fi_clean(&sysupgrade);
+	fi_clean(&header);
+	fi_clean(&rootfs);
+	fi_clean(&zippedfs);
+	fi_clean(&image);
+
+	if (rootfsname)
+		free(rootfsname);
+
+	if (zipfsname)
+		free(zipfsname);
+
+	if (zipcmd)
+		free(zipcmd);
+
+	return ret;
 }