CVE-2023-5310 in Z-Wave SDK
Summary
by MITRE • 12/15/2023
A denial of service vulnerability exists in all Silicon Labs Z-Wave controller and endpoint devices running Z-Wave SDK v7.20.3 (Gecko SDK v4.3.3) and earlier. This attack can be carried out only by devices on the network sending a stream of packets to the device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/27/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2023-5310 represents a critical denial of service condition affecting Silicon Labs Z-Wave controller and endpoint devices that operate on Z-Wave SDK version 7.20.3 or earlier. This flaw specifically impacts the Gecko SDK version 4.3.3 and related implementations within the Z-Wave ecosystem, creating a significant security concern for home automation and industrial control networks that rely on these components. The vulnerability manifests when malicious or compromised devices within the same network transmit a continuous stream of packets to the affected Z-Wave device, leading to system instability and potential complete service disruption. This issue falls under the category of network-based attacks where internal network members can exploit device processing limitations without requiring external network access or complex attack vectors.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and packet processing mechanisms within the Z-Wave stack implementation. When the affected devices receive an excessive volume of packets in a short time period, their processing capabilities become overwhelmed, leading to system crashes, memory exhaustion, or resource depletion that prevents normal operation. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-400, which describes unspecified resource exhaustion vulnerabilities, and may also align with CWE-129, representing improper validation of the length of input data. The specific implementation issues likely involve insufficient rate limiting or packet queuing mechanisms that fail to properly handle abnormal traffic patterns, allowing malicious packet streams to consume system resources without proper throttling or rejection mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-5310 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise entire Z-Wave networks, particularly in environments where these devices form critical components of home automation systems, industrial control networks, or smart building infrastructure. Network administrators and security professionals must consider that compromised devices within the same network can leverage this vulnerability to systematically disable other Z-Wave controllers and endpoints, potentially leading to complete network paralysis. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where network segmentation is insufficient or where device authentication mechanisms are weak, as it requires only network-level access to exploit. The attack vector described aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001, which covers network denial of service attacks, and demonstrates how internal network threats can be leveraged to create cascading failures across connected systems. The impact is especially severe in critical infrastructure environments where Z-Wave devices control security systems, environmental controls, or industrial processes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-5310 should focus on both immediate defensive measures and long-term architectural improvements. Organizations should prioritize upgrading affected devices to Z-Wave SDK versions 7.21.0 and later, which contain the necessary patches to address the packet processing flaws. Network segmentation techniques should be implemented to isolate Z-Wave networks from general network traffic, reducing the attack surface for internal network-based attacks. Implementing rate limiting mechanisms at network boundaries and within Z-Wave network controllers can help detect and prevent abnormal packet streams from overwhelming device resources. Device monitoring should include traffic analysis capabilities to identify potential denial of service patterns, and network access controls should be strengthened to prevent unauthorized devices from joining the Z-Wave network. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to monitor for abnormal packet patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts, while maintaining detailed logging of network activity for forensic analysis and incident response purposes. The vulnerability underscores the importance of secure coding practices in embedded systems and the need for continuous security assessment of network protocols used in IoT and home automation environments.