CVE-2023-33248
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to send inaudible high-frequency audio commands (16-22 kHz) to Amazon Echo Dot 2nd and 3rd generation devices, potentially executing security-relevant commands without user awareness. The attack exploits the fact that these frequencies are rarely spoken by humans but can be processed by the device's microphone. This affects users of vulnerable Echo Dot devices in environments where attackers can play audio near the device.
💻 Affected Systems
- Amazon Echo Dot 2nd Generation
- Amazon Echo Dot 3rd Generation
📦 What is this software?
Alexa by Amazon
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers could gain unauthorized control of smart home devices, access personal information, make unauthorized purchases, or compromise home network security through voice commands executed without user knowledge.
Likely Case
Attackers in proximity could execute basic commands like turning smart devices on/off, playing media, or accessing limited information, potentially leading to privacy violations or nuisance attacks.
If Mitigated
With proper physical security and monitoring, impact is limited to environments where attackers have physical access or can broadcast audio to the device.
🎯 Exploit Status
Attack requires specialized audio equipment or software to generate high-frequency commands. Research papers and GitHub repository demonstrate proof-of-concept. No authentication needed as voice commands are inherently unauthenticated.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Unknown
Vendor Advisory: No official Amazon advisory found in provided references
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
No official patch available. Check Amazon device settings for firmware updates and ensure automatic updates are enabled.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable microphone when not in use
allPhysically mute the device microphone using the hardware button to prevent audio command processing
Enable voice purchasing PIN
allRequire PIN confirmation for purchases to prevent unauthorized transactions
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Place devices in secure locations away from public access or potential audio sources
- Monitor device activity logs for unusual command patterns or unexpected device behavior
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check device firmware version in Alexa app: Settings > Device Settings > [Your Device] > About. If version is 8960323972, device is vulnerable.Check Version:
No CLI command available. Use Alexa mobile app: Settings > Device Settings > [Your Device] > AboutVerify Fix Applied:
Verify firmware has been updated to a version newer than 8960323972 through Alexa app device settings📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual voice command patterns, commands executed without wake word detection, high-frequency audio events in device logs
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected device activations or responses without user interaction, unusual timing of smart home device commands
SIEM Query:
No standard SIEM query available. Monitor for: 'device:echo command:executed source:unknown' or similar voice command logs🔗 References
- https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.10358
- https://cios2023.org/papers
- https://github.com/reveondivad/nuance
- https://sites.google.com/view/nuitattack/home
- https://www.usenix.org/system/files/sec23fall-prepub-261-xia-qi.pdf
- https://youtu.be/3gEc5ZFWIWo
- https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.10358
- https://cios2023.org/papers
- https://github.com/reveondivad/nuance
- https://sites.google.com/view/nuitattack/home
- https://www.usenix.org/system/files/sec23fall-prepub-261-xia-qi.pdf
- https://youtu.be/3gEc5ZFWIWo
