CVE-2012-2619 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
The Broadcom BCM4325 and BCM4329 Wi-Fi chips, as used in certain Acer, Apple, Asus, Ford, HTC, Kyocera, LG, Malata, Motorola, Nokia, Pantech, Samsung, and Sony products, allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read and Wi-Fi outage) via an RSN 802.11i information element.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/10/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2619 affects Broadcom Wi-Fi chipsets including BCM4325 and BCM4329 found in numerous consumer electronics and automotive devices from major manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, and Motorola. This flaw represents a critical security weakness in wireless network communication protocols that impacts the fundamental operation of Wi-Fi connectivity across multiple device categories. The vulnerability specifically resides in how these chips process RSN 802.11i information elements during wireless network authentication and association processes, creating a pathway for malicious actors to disrupt network services.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the wireless chipset firmware, particularly when handling Robust Security Network (RSN) information elements that are part of the 802.11i standard for wireless security. When a malicious attacker crafts and transmits specially formatted RSN information elements to a vulnerable device, the Broadcom chip fails to properly validate the data boundaries before processing. This leads to out-of-bounds memory reads where the chip attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer space, causing unpredictable behavior and system instability. The vulnerability manifests as a complete denial of service condition that results in Wi-Fi outage, effectively cutting off wireless connectivity for the affected device.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to both individual users and enterprise environments where these devices are deployed. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this weakness without physical access to the target device, making it particularly dangerous for mobile devices, automotive infotainment systems, and IoT deployments. The impact extends beyond simple connectivity issues as the Wi-Fi outage can disrupt critical communications, prevent device updates, and potentially compromise security features that rely on wireless connectivity. The vulnerability affects a wide range of devices including smartphones, tablets, laptops, automotive systems, and various embedded devices, creating a substantial attack surface that spans multiple industries and use cases.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001 for network denial of service and can be categorized under CWE-125 as out-of-bounds read, which represents a fundamental memory safety issue in the chip firmware implementation. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including firmware updates from device manufacturers, network segmentation to isolate affected devices, and monitoring for unusual wireless traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, security teams should consider deploying network intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed RSN information elements and implement wireless network access controls that limit the impact of potential attacks. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation in embedded systems and firmware security practices that are essential for maintaining secure wireless communications in modern connected environments.