CVE-2017-13081 in WPA2
Summary
by MITRE
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA and WPA2) that supports IEEE 802.11w allows reinstallation of the Integrity Group Temporal Key (IGTK) during the group key handshake, allowing an attacker within radio range to spoof frames from access points to clients.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13081 represents a critical flaw in the Wi-Fi Protected Access protocol suite, specifically affecting both WPA and WPA2 implementations that support the IEEE 802.11w standard for Protected Management Frames. This weakness resides in the group key handshake mechanism where the Integrity Group Temporal Key IGTK can be unexpectedly reinstalled, creating a significant security breach that undermines the fundamental integrity protection mechanisms designed to secure wireless communications. The vulnerability operates at the network layer of the IEEE 802.11 wireless standard, specifically targeting the cryptographic key management processes that ensure data confidentiality and integrity between wireless access points and client devices.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker within radio range of affected wireless networks can force the reinstallation of the IGTK during the group key handshake process. This reinstallation allows the attacker to replay previously seen cryptographic messages, effectively bypassing the intended security controls that should prevent frame spoofing and unauthorized network access. The flaw specifically affects implementations that comply with IEEE 802.11w standards, which were designed to provide protection against certain types of attacks including frame injection and replay attacks. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of key reinstallation scenarios where the system fails to properly validate or reject duplicate key installation requests, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to manipulate the cryptographic state of the wireless connection.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-13081 extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks that can compromise the integrity of wireless communications. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability can successfully spoof management frames from legitimate access points to client devices, potentially leading to complete network compromise including unauthorized access to protected network resources, session hijacking, and data exfiltration. This vulnerability affects a wide range of wireless implementations across different vendors and device types, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited across various wireless infrastructure deployments. The attack requires only proximity to the target network and does not necessitate complex network reconnaissance or advanced technical skills, making it particularly concerning for enterprise and consumer wireless environments.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including updating wireless access point firmware to versions that address the key reinstallation flaw, disabling affected wireless protocols where possible, and implementing additional network monitoring to detect suspicious frame patterns. Organizations must also consider deploying network segmentation strategies and enhanced intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK framework techniques including T1046 Network Service Scanning and T1566 Phishing, as attackers can leverage the compromised wireless connections to establish further footholds within networks. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in the cryptographic implementation related to improper key handling and reinstallation of cryptographic keys, specifically CWE-327 which addresses broken cryptographic algorithms and key management failures. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper cryptographic state management and the potential consequences of insufficient validation of key installation requests in wireless security protocols.