CVE-2022-33285 in APQ8009
Summary
by MITRE • 01/09/2023
Transient DOS due to buffer over-read in WLAN while parsing WLAN CSA action frames.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2025
This vulnerability represents a transient denial of service condition affecting wireless local area network implementations during the processing of channel switch announcement action frames. The flaw occurs within the wireless management frame parsing logic where insufficient bounds checking leads to a buffer over-read condition when handling malformed or unexpected CSA frame structures. The vulnerability specifically impacts devices that process wireless channel switching operations, which are fundamental to wireless network management and roaming scenarios. According to CWE-125, this constitutes an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that can be triggered during normal wireless network operations when a malicious or malformed CSA frame is received by an affected device.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the wireless driver or firmware parsing routines responsible for processing channel switch announcement frames. When a device receives a CSA action frame, it typically processes the channel information and other parameters contained within the frame structure. The buffer over-read occurs when the parser attempts to read beyond the allocated memory boundaries of the frame data buffer, potentially causing the wireless subsystem to crash or become unresponsive. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks, as it specifically targets network infrastructure components to disrupt service availability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise entire wireless network segments. Affected devices may experience complete wireless connectivity loss until rebooted, creating cascading effects in enterprise environments where wireless networks serve as primary communication infrastructure. The transient nature of the denial of service means that the vulnerability may not be immediately apparent during normal operations but can be triggered by specific frame sequences or timing conditions. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in production environments where wireless network stability is critical for business operations. Network administrators may observe intermittent connectivity issues or complete service outages in affected wireless access points or client devices.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper bounds checking and input validation within wireless frame parsing routines to prevent buffer over-read conditions. Firmware updates from vendors are essential to address the root cause of the vulnerability, as the fix typically requires modifications to how CSA frames are processed and validated. Network monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous frame patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, while access point configurations can be adjusted to limit the impact of malformed frames through enhanced frame filtering mechanisms. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust memory safety practices in embedded wireless systems and highlights the need for comprehensive testing of wireless management frame handling routines. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation strategies to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities across their wireless infrastructure, ensuring that wireless network disruptions do not cascade to critical business systems.