CVE-2023-35652
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Android's baseband firmware that could allow remote information disclosure. Attackers could potentially read sensitive data from memory, but exploitation requires compromising the baseband firmware first. Affects Android devices, particularly Google Pixel phones.
💻 Affected Systems
- Google Pixel phones
- Android devices with affected baseband firmware
📦 What is this software?
Android by Google
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote attacker reads sensitive data from device memory including potentially authentication tokens, encryption keys, or other protected information after compromising baseband firmware.
Likely Case
Limited information disclosure from baseband memory, potentially exposing device identifiers or telemetry data.
If Mitigated
No impact if baseband firmware is not compromised or device is patched.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires baseband firmware compromise first, which is technically challenging. No user interaction needed once baseband is compromised.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: October 2023 Android security patch or later
Vendor Advisory: https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/pixel/2023-10-01
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check for Android system updates in Settings > System > System update. 2. Install October 2023 or later security patch. 3. Reboot device after installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable emergency call features
androidDisable emergency call functionality to potentially mitigate the vulnerability (not recommended for primary devices)
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate vulnerable devices from untrusted networks
- Monitor for unusual baseband activity or unexpected information disclosure
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Android security patch level in Settings > About phone > Android version. If patch level is before October 2023, device is vulnerable.Check Version:
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patchVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Android security patch level shows October 2023 or later in Settings > About phone > Android version.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Baseband crash logs
- Unexpected memory access patterns in baseband logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual baseband communication patterns
- Suspicious emergency call protocol traffic
SIEM Query:
Search for baseband firmware crashes or emergency call protocol anomalies in device logs