CVE-2023-43545 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE • 06/03/2024
Memory corruption when more scan frequency list or channels are sent from the user space.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/28/2025
This vulnerability represents a memory corruption issue that occurs within wireless networking drivers when excessive scan frequency lists or channels are transmitted from user space applications. The flaw manifests when the kernel driver responsible for managing wireless scanning operations receives more channel data than it can properly handle, leading to improper memory management during the processing of these extended frequency lists. The root cause lies in insufficient bounds checking and validation mechanisms within the wireless subsystem's channel enumeration handling code, which fails to properly validate the size and content of user-provided channel data structures before attempting to process them. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of buffer overflows and memory corruption issues as defined by CWE-121, where insufficient validation of input data leads to improper memory access patterns. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in wireless networking contexts where user space applications might send malformed or excessively large channel lists to the kernel driver during wireless scanning operations, potentially leading to system instability or privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes, as it creates potential attack vectors for malicious actors who could exploit the memory corruption to execute arbitrary code within kernel space. When user space applications submit more scan frequencies or channels than the driver expects, the kernel's memory management routines may attempt to write beyond allocated buffer boundaries, causing memory corruption that could be leveraged for privilege escalation attacks. This vulnerability directly relates to the ATT&CK technique T1068 which involves exploiting legitimate credentials and privileges to gain higher-level access, as the memory corruption could potentially allow attackers to execute code with kernel privileges. The flaw particularly affects wireless networking drivers that handle 802.11 scanning operations, where applications might send extended channel lists for network discovery or regulatory compliance checking. Attackers could potentially craft malicious applications that send oversized channel lists to trigger the vulnerability, leading to system crashes or more severe exploitation outcomes depending on the specific implementation details of the affected driver.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and bounds checking within the wireless driver subsystem. System administrators should ensure that wireless drivers are updated to versions that properly validate channel list sizes and reject malformed input data before processing. The recommended approach includes implementing strict size limits on user-provided channel data, adding comprehensive bounds checking routines, and ensuring proper memory allocation that accounts for maximum expected channel list sizes. Additionally, kernel hardening techniques such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and kernel address space protection mechanisms should be enabled to reduce the effectiveness of potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect unusual wireless scanning behavior or excessive channel list submissions that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation in kernel space drivers and aligns with security best practices outlined in the CERT/CC secure coding guidelines, particularly those addressing buffer overflow prevention and memory safety in kernel modules. Regular security assessments of wireless subsystems and proactive patch management are essential to protect against this type of memory corruption vulnerability.