CVE-2020-11264
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to inject arbitrary network packets during Wi-Fi authentication handshakes by exploiting improper authentication of non-EAPOL/WAPI frames. It affects Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets across automotive, mobile, IoT, and computing devices. Attackers within Wi-Fi range can potentially intercept or manipulate network traffic.
💻 Affected Systems
- Snapdragon Auto
- Snapdragon Compute
- Snapdragon Connectivity
- Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity
- Snapdragon Consumer IOT
- Snapdragon Industrial IOT
- Snapdragon Mobile
- Snapdragon Voice & Music
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete network compromise allowing man-in-the-middle attacks, data interception, credential theft, and potential lateral movement within connected networks.
Likely Case
Unauthorized network access, session hijacking, and data interception on vulnerable Wi-Fi networks.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper network segmentation, encrypted communications, and updated firmware.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires proximity to target Wi-Fi network and knowledge of Wi-Fi protocol manipulation.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: August 2021 security updates and later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.qualcomm.com/company/product-security/bulletins/august-2021-bulletin
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check device manufacturer for firmware updates. 2. Apply Qualcomm-provided patches. 3. Update device firmware through manufacturer channels. 4. Reboot device after update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Wi-Fi when not needed
allTurn off Wi-Fi connectivity to prevent exploitation
# Android: adb shell svc wifi disable
# Linux: sudo nmcli radio wifi off
Use wired connections
allPrefer Ethernet or other wired connections over Wi-Fi
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Segment vulnerable devices on isolated network segments
- Implement network monitoring for unusual Wi-Fi authentication patterns
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check device firmware version against manufacturer security bulletins. Use Qualcomm's security advisory to identify vulnerable chipset versions.Check Version:
# Android: getprop ro.build.fingerprint
# Linux: cat /proc/versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify firmware version is August 2021 or later. Check with device manufacturer for specific patch verification.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual Wi-Fi authentication failures
- Multiple four-way handshake retries
- Unexpected MAC address associations
Network Indicators:
- Abnormal EAPOL frame patterns
- Unexpected non-EAPOL frames during handshake
- Wi-Fi deauthentication storms
SIEM Query:
source="wifi_logs" AND (event_type="auth_failure" OR event_type="handshake_error") | stats count by device_ip