CVE-2023-28565
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows memory corruption in Qualcomm's WLAN Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) when processing command streams through WMI interfaces. Attackers could potentially execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service on affected devices. This affects devices using Qualcomm WLAN chipsets with vulnerable firmware.
💻 Affected Systems
- Qualcomm WLAN chipsets and devices using them
📦 What is this software?
Vision Intelligence 300 Firmware by Qualcomm
Vision Intelligence 400 Firmware by Qualcomm
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution with kernel privileges leading to complete device compromise, data theft, or persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Device crash/reboot (denial of service) or limited code execution within WLAN subsystem context.
If Mitigated
No impact if patched or if exploit attempts are blocked by network segmentation/access controls.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires sending crafted WMI commands to WLAN interface; no authentication needed but requires network proximity/access.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Refer to Qualcomm September 2023 security bulletin for specific firmware versions
Vendor Advisory: https://www.qualcomm.com/company/product-security/bulletins/september-2023-bulletin
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check Qualcomm advisory for affected chipset/firmware versions. 2. Obtain updated firmware from device manufacturer/OEM. 3. Apply firmware update following manufacturer instructions. 4. Reboot device to activate new firmware.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Wi-Fi if not needed
linuxTurn off WLAN interface to prevent exploitation
nmcli radio wifi off
ip link set wlan0 down
Network segmentation
allIsolate WLAN networks from critical systems
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Segment WLAN networks and restrict access to trusted devices only
- Monitor for unusual WLAN traffic patterns or connection attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check device firmware version against Qualcomm advisory; examine WLAN chipset model and firmware versionCheck Version:
dmesg | grep -i qualcomm (Linux) or check device firmware settingsVerify Fix Applied:
Verify firmware version has been updated to patched version listed in Qualcomm bulletin📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panics or crashes related to WLAN driver
- Unusual WMI command patterns in system logs
Network Indicators:
- Malformed WMI packets to WLAN interface
- Unusual broadcast/multicast traffic on WLAN
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("WLAN" OR "WMI") AND ("panic" OR "crash" OR "corruption")