CVE-2023-20691 – This CVE describes an integer overflow vulnerab... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2023-20691?

CVE-2023-20691 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (HIGH). This CVE describes an integer overflow vulnerability in MediaTek wlan firmware that can cause system crashes. Attackers can remotely trigger denial of service without authentication or user interaction. Devices using affected MediaTek wireless chipsets are vulnerable.

📋 TL;DR

This CVE describes an integer overflow vulnerability in MediaTek wlan firmware that can cause system crashes. Attackers can remotely trigger denial of service without authentication or user interaction. Devices using affected MediaTek wireless chipsets are vulnerable.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

MediaTek wireless chipsets with vulnerable wlan firmware

Versions: Specific firmware versions not detailed in CVE; affected versions prior to patch ALPS07664731

Operating Systems: Android, Linux-based systems using MediaTek wireless chips

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Affects devices using MediaTek wireless hardware; exact device models not specified in CVE description.

📦 What is this software?

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Complete system crash requiring physical reboot, potentially disrupting critical wireless-dependent services.

🟠

Likely Case

Temporary denial of service affecting wireless connectivity until system restart.

🟢

If Mitigated

Limited impact with proper network segmentation and monitoring to detect exploitation attempts.

🌐 Internet-Facing: HIGH - Remote exploitation without authentication makes internet-facing devices particularly vulnerable.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Internal attackers could exploit this, but requires network access to wireless interfaces.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ⚠️ Yes

Complexity: LOW

No authentication required and no user interaction needed makes exploitation straightforward if details become public.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Firmware patch ALPS07664731

Vendor Advisory: https://corp.mediatek.com/product-security-bulletin/July-2023

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Check device manufacturer for firmware updates. 2. Apply MediaTek patch ALPS07664731. 3. Reboot device to load patched firmware.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable vulnerable wireless interfaces

linux

Temporarily disable wireless functionality if not required

sudo ifconfig wlan0 down
sudo nmcli radio wifi off

Network segmentation

all

Isolate affected devices from untrusted networks

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Implement strict network access controls to limit exposure to wireless interfaces
Monitor for unusual wireless traffic patterns and system crashes

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check firmware version against MediaTek security bulletin; examine system logs for wlan firmware crashes

Check Version:

dmesg | grep -i mediatek || cat /sys/class/net/wlan*/device/firmware_version

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify firmware version includes patch ALPS07664731; test wireless functionality stability

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel panic messages
wlan firmware crash logs
Unexpected system reboots

Network Indicators:

Unusual wireless packet patterns targeting wlan firmware
Spike in malformed wireless frames

SIEM Query:

source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "crash") AND ("wlan" OR "mediatek")

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2023-20691

CVSS v3 Score: 7.5 (HIGH)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CWE: CWE-190

Published: July 4, 2023

Last Updated: November 21, 2024

🔗 References

https://corp.mediatek.com/product-security-bulletin/July-2023 Vendor Advisory
https://corp.mediatek.com/product-security-bulletin/July-2023 Vendor Advisory

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