CVE-2022-24702 in WinAPRS
Summary
by MITRE • 06/02/2022
** UNSUPPORTED WHEN ASSIGNED ** An issue was discovered in WinAPRS 2.9.0. A buffer overflow in the VHF KISS TNC component allows a remote attacker to achieve remote code execution via malicious AX.25 packets over the air. NOTE: This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-24702 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the WinAPRS 2.9.0 software suite, specifically within its VHF KISS TNC (Terminal Interface Control) component. This issue arises from insufficient input validation and memory management practices that fail to properly handle maliciously crafted AX.25 packets transmitted over radio frequencies. The vulnerability exists in a component that serves as a bridge between amateur radio networks and computer systems, making it particularly concerning for amateur radio operators and emergency communication networks that rely on such systems.
The technical flaw manifests as a classic buffer overflow condition where attacker-controlled data exceeds the allocated memory buffer space within the VHF KISS TNC processing module. When the system receives malicious AX.25 packets containing oversized or malformed data structures, the insufficient bounds checking allows arbitrary data to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This memory corruption can potentially overwrite critical program execution pointers, function return addresses, or other control data structures, enabling an attacker to manipulate the program flow and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the running process. The vulnerability operates at the network level where AX.25 protocol packets are processed, making it accessible through legitimate network communication channels without requiring physical access or specialized equipment beyond standard radio transmission capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution to potentially compromise entire amateur radio communication networks and associated computer systems. Given that WinAPRS is commonly used in emergency response scenarios and amateur radio operations, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability to disrupt communications, gain unauthorized access to networked systems, or even deploy malicious payloads that persist across system reboots. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries could target operators from considerable distances, potentially compromising critical infrastructure used for disaster response, maritime communications, or aviation emergency services. The vulnerability's exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or denial of service conditions that could severely impact public safety communications.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability are limited due to the end-of-life status of the affected software version, but several approaches remain viable for organizations still using unsupported systems. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to the affected TNC components, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect anomalous AX.25 traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to supported software versions or migrating to modern communication protocols and systems that have active security maintenance and support. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to monitor for known attack signatures associated with buffer overflow exploits and related network anomalies. From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and represents a technique that could map to ATT&CK tactic TA0040, exploitation for execution, and technique T1203, exploitation of remote services, within the MITRE ATT&CK framework for adversary behavior modeling.
The vulnerability serves as a stark reminder of the security risks associated with legacy systems and unsupported software in critical infrastructure environments. Many amateur radio operators and emergency communication providers continue to rely on older systems due to their specialized nature and the difficulty of migrating to newer platforms, creating persistent security gaps that adversaries actively seek to exploit. The combination of remote accessibility, potential for complete system compromise, and the widespread use of such systems across emergency response networks makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous. Organizations should prioritize identifying and replacing all unsupported systems with properly maintained alternatives, while implementing additional network monitoring and access controls to minimize exposure to similar vulnerabilities in the future.