CVE-2023-28907 in Volkswagen MIB3 Infotainment System MIB3 OI MQB
Summary
by MITRE • 06/28/2025
There is no memory isolation between CPU cores of the MIB3 infotainment. This fact allows an attacker with access to the main operating system to compromise the CPU core responsible for CAN message processing. The vulnerability was originally discovered in Skoda Superb III car with MIB3 infotainment unit OEM part number 3V0035820. The list of affected MIB3 OEM part numbers is provided in the referenced resources.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-28907 represents a critical security flaw in the MIB3 infotainment system used in Volkswagen Group vehicles including the Skoda Superb III. This issue stems from the complete absence of memory isolation mechanisms between different CPU cores within the MIB3 unit, creating a fundamental architectural weakness that directly impacts automotive cybersecurity. The affected system operates with a single unified memory space where all processing cores share the same address space without proper segmentation, allowing malicious code executed in one core to directly access and manipulate memory regions used by other cores.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the exploitation of shared memory architecture where the main operating system running on one CPU core can leverage its privileges to access and corrupt the memory space of the core responsible for CAN message processing. This architectural flaw essentially eliminates the traditional security boundaries that would normally prevent cross-core memory access and manipulation. The vulnerability manifests when an attacker gains access to the main operating system environment and leverages the lack of memory isolation to compromise the dedicated core handling automotive network communications. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and memory protection mechanisms that are standard in secure computing environments.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a severe attack surface that allows attackers to compromise vehicle network communications and potentially gain control over critical automotive functions. The CAN message processing core, which handles vehicle communication protocols, becomes directly accessible to malicious code running in the main operating system, enabling potential attacks such as message injection, manipulation of vehicle control signals, or complete network disruption. This vulnerability affects vehicles manufactured with specific MIB3 OEM part numbers including 3V0035820, representing a significant risk to automotive cybersecurity standards and vehicle safety systems. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires only access to the main operating system, which may be achieved through various attack surfaces including infotainment system exploitation, physical access, or network-based attacks targeting the vehicle's communication interfaces.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses memory safety issues related to improper access to memory regions and represents a classic case of inadequate memory protection mechanisms in automotive systems. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and process injection, specifically leveraging the shared memory architecture to move laterally between system components. The attack scenario involves an initial compromise of the main operating system followed by exploitation of the memory isolation bypass to target the CAN processing core. Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper memory isolation between CPU cores, which can be achieved through hardware-based memory protection units or software-based memory segmentation mechanisms. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring of CAN traffic should be implemented to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The affected vehicles require immediate security updates or hardware modifications to restore proper memory isolation between processing cores, ensuring that automotive cybersecurity standards are maintained according to automotive industry security frameworks and regulations.