CVE-2023-33105
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to cause a denial-of-service (DoS) condition in Qualcomm WLAN systems by sending a large number of malformed authentication frames with invalid transaction sequence numbers. It affects devices using Qualcomm WLAN chipsets and firmware. The attack disrupts wireless connectivity but doesn't allow code execution or data theft.
💻 Affected Systems
- Qualcomm WLAN chipsets and associated firmware
📦 What is this software?
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Firmware by Qualcomm
View all CVEs affecting Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Firmware →
Snapdragon X65 5g Modem Rf Firmware by Qualcomm
View all CVEs affecting Snapdragon X65 5g Modem Rf Firmware →
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete disruption of WLAN connectivity on affected devices, requiring device restart to restore functionality.
Likely Case
Temporary wireless network disruption affecting connectivity for users on vulnerable access points or devices.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper network segmentation, rate limiting, and updated firmware.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires sending crafted wireless frames, which can be done with standard wireless testing tools. No authentication needed to trigger the DoS.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Refer to Qualcomm's March 2024 security bulletin for chipset-specific patched versions
Vendor Advisory: https://www.qualcomm.com/company/product-security/bulletins/march-2024-bulletin
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check device manufacturer for firmware/driver updates. 2. Apply Qualcomm-provided patches for affected chipsets. 3. Update WLAN drivers on host systems. 4. Reboot affected devices after patching.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network segmentation and isolation
allSegment wireless networks to limit blast radius and isolate critical systems
Wireless intrusion prevention
allDeploy WIPS systems to detect and block malformed authentication frames
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict wireless network access controls and monitoring
- Deploy rate limiting on wireless controllers to mitigate flood attacks
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check device firmware/driver versions against Qualcomm's advisory. Use wireless monitoring tools to detect authentication frame anomalies.Check Version:
Platform-specific commands vary; check device manufacturer documentation for firmware version checks.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify updated firmware/driver versions match patched releases from Qualcomm. Test with controlled wireless frame injection.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual spike in authentication failures
- WLAN driver/firmware crash logs
- Connection resets on wireless interfaces
Network Indicators:
- High volume of authentication frames with unusual sequence patterns
- Wireless beacon disruptions
SIEM Query:
source="wireless_controller" AND (event_type="auth_failure" OR event_type="wlan_reset") AND count > threshold