CVE-2022-42431
📋 TL;DR
This is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Tesla vehicle systems that allows attackers with initial code execution to gain root privileges. The flaw exists in the bcmdhd driver due to improper buffer length validation. Only Tesla vehicles with vulnerable driver versions are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Tesla vehicles with vulnerable bcmdhd driver
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attacker gains full root control of vehicle systems, potentially compromising safety-critical functions, vehicle data, and enabling further attacks on connected systems.
Likely Case
Local attacker with initial access escalates to root privileges to install persistent malware, exfiltrate sensitive vehicle data, or modify system configurations.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls and monitoring, impact limited to isolated system compromise without vehicle control takeover.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and initial privileged code execution. Buffer overflow exploitation requires specific knowledge of driver internals.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Tesla software updates addressing ZDI-CAN-17544
Vendor Advisory: https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-22-1407/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check for available Tesla software updates via vehicle interface. 2. Apply any available security updates. 3. Restart vehicle systems as required by update process.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict local access
allLimit physical and network access to vehicle systems to prevent initial code execution requirement.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls to prevent unauthorized local access to vehicle systems
- Monitor for unusual system activity and privilege escalation attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Tesla software version against patched versions addressing ZDI-CAN-17544. Review system logs for bcmdhd driver anomalies.Check Version:
Check vehicle software version via Tesla display interface or connected appVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Tesla software version has been updated to include fix for ZDI-CAN-17544/CVE-2022-42431.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual privilege escalation attempts
- bcmdhd driver crashes or anomalies
- Unexpected root-level process execution
Network Indicators:
- Unusual local network connections to vehicle systems
SIEM Query:
Process creation where parent process is bcmdhd-related and child process has elevated privileges