CVE-2023-32886 – This vulnerability allows remote attackers to c... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2023-32886?

CVE-2023-32886 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (HIGH). This vulnerability allows remote attackers to cause denial of service on affected devices by exploiting an out-of-bounds write in the Modem IMS SMS UA component. No user interaction or special privileges are required for exploitation. This affects devices using MediaTek chipsets with vulnerable modem firmware.

📋 TL;DR

This vulnerability allows remote attackers to cause denial of service on affected devices by exploiting an out-of-bounds write in the Modem IMS SMS UA component. No user interaction or special privileges are required for exploitation. This affects devices using MediaTek chipsets with vulnerable modem firmware.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Devices with MediaTek chipsets using vulnerable modem firmware

Versions: Specific firmware versions not publicly detailed in advisory

Operating Systems: Android and other OS using MediaTek modem components

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Affects modem subsystem independently of main OS; requires specific MediaTek modem firmware versions

📦 What is this software?

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Remote attacker could crash the modem subsystem, causing complete loss of cellular connectivity including voice, SMS, and data services until device restart.

🟠

Likely Case

Remote denial of service affecting cellular connectivity, potentially disrupting emergency services and critical communications.

🟢

If Mitigated

With proper network segmentation and access controls, impact limited to isolated network segments.

🌐 Internet-Facing: HIGH

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ⚠️ Yes

Complexity: MEDIUM

Exploitation requires sending specially crafted SMS/IMS messages to vulnerable devices

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Firmware with patch ID MOLY00730807

Vendor Advisory: https://corp.mediatek.com/product-security-bulletin/January-2024

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Contact device manufacturer for firmware updates 2. Apply modem firmware update 3. Reboot device to activate patched firmware

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Network-level SMS filtering

all

Filter suspicious SMS/IMS messages at network level

Disable IMS services

all

Temporarily disable IMS/VoLTE services if not required

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Segment cellular devices on separate network segments
Implement strict network monitoring for abnormal SMS traffic patterns

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check modem firmware version against MediaTek security bulletin; contact device manufacturer for specific version information

Check Version:

Device-specific commands vary by manufacturer; typically available through engineering mode or manufacturer diagnostic tools

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify modem firmware has been updated to version containing patch MOLY00730807

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Modem crash logs
Abnormal SMS/IMS message processing errors
Cellular service disruption events

Network Indicators:

Unusual SMS traffic patterns
SMS messages with malformed headers or content

SIEM Query:

Search for modem subsystem crashes or cellular service disruption events in device logs

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2023-32886

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-787

Published: January 2, 2024

Last Updated: June 3, 2025

🔗 References

https://corp.mediatek.com/product-security-bulletin/January-2024 Vendor Advisory
https://corp.mediatek.com/product-security-bulletin/January-2024 Vendor Advisory

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