CVE-2022-40480 in NRF5340-DK DT100112
Summary
by MITRE • 02/08/2023
Nordic Semiconductor, Microchip Technology NRF5340-DK DT100112 was discovered to contain an issue which allows attackers to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via a crafted ConReq packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/06/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-40480 affects the Nordic Semiconductor NRF5340-DK DT100112 development kit, which implements Bluetooth Low Energy protocols for wireless communication. This device serves as a critical platform for developers working with Bluetooth mesh networking and IoT applications, making its security implications particularly significant. The flaw manifests within the Bluetooth mesh stack implementation where the system fails to properly validate incoming connection request packets, creating a potential pathway for malicious actors to disrupt normal operational procedures.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient input validation mechanisms within the Bluetooth mesh protocol handler. When a crafted ConReq packet is transmitted to the device, the system does not adequately sanitize or verify the packet structure before processing it. This weakness allows an attacker to construct specially formatted packets that trigger unexpected behavior in the device's mesh networking stack. The vulnerability specifically targets the connection establishment phase of Bluetooth mesh communication where the device processes connection requests from other mesh nodes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise entire mesh networks. An attacker could exploit this weakness to repeatedly send malicious ConReq packets, causing the affected device to crash or become unresponsive, thereby creating a denial of service condition that affects not just the individual device but also the broader network topology. In IoT deployments where mesh networking is critical for device communication and data relay, such an attack could lead to complete network paralysis and loss of connectivity for all connected devices within the affected mesh segment.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, Input Validation, and CWE-242, Use of Insecure Function, as it demonstrates inadequate validation of input parameters combined with improper handling of connection requests. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this represents a network-level disruption technique that could be categorized under T1499.004, Endpoint Denial of Service, and potentially T1566.001, Phishing via Social Engineering, if attackers use social engineering to gain initial access to the network. The attack surface is particularly concerning for industrial IoT deployments where continuous operation is critical and mesh networks form the backbone of device communication infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust input validation mechanisms that properly sanitize all incoming connection request packets before processing. Device manufacturers should update firmware to include proper packet validation routines that check for malformed ConReq structures and implement rate limiting to prevent repeated malicious packet flooding. Network administrators should consider deploying network segmentation strategies to isolate affected devices and implement monitoring solutions that can detect unusual packet patterns indicating potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular security audits of mesh networking implementations should be conducted to identify and address similar validation weaknesses in other components of the wireless infrastructure.