CVE-2012-6712 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE
In the Linux kernel before 3.4, a buffer overflow occurs in drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwl-agn-sta.c, which will cause at least memory corruption.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/13/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-6712 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Linux kernel's wireless networking subsystem, specifically affecting versions prior to 3.4. This issue resides in the iwlwifi driver component responsible for managing Intel wireless network adapters, making it particularly significant for systems utilizing Intel wireless hardware. The flaw manifests in the iwl-agn-sta.c file which handles station management for the iwlwifi driver, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit memory corruption vulnerabilities through carefully crafted wireless network packets.
The technical nature of this buffer overflow stems from improper input validation within the wireless driver's station management routines. When processing certain wireless frames or configuration parameters, the driver fails to properly bounds-check data buffers before copying user-supplied data into kernel memory space. This allows an attacker positioned within wireless range to send maliciously crafted packets that exceed the allocated buffer size, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level, bypassing typical user-space security mechanisms and presenting a severe threat to system integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it provides a potential pathway for privilege escalation attacks. An attacker within range of an affected wireless network could exploit this flaw to gain root access to the target system, effectively compromising the entire machine. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where wireless access points are exposed to untrusted networks or where wireless interfaces are enabled on systems that should remain isolated from external threats. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Linux systems using Intel wireless adapters, making it a significant concern for enterprise and consumer deployments alike.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-6712 primarily focus on kernel version upgrades to 3.4 or later, where the buffer overflow has been addressed through proper bounds checking and input validation. System administrators should prioritize patching affected systems and disabling wireless interfaces when not actively needed. Additional protective measures include implementing network segmentation to limit wireless exposure, using wireless access point authentication mechanisms, and monitoring for suspicious wireless activity. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of how driver-level vulnerabilities can provide attackers with direct pathways to kernel exploitation. This issue also maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for kernel-mode rootkit persistence and T1068 for privilege escalation, highlighting the comprehensive threat landscape this vulnerability creates for system security.