CVE-2024-53980
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in RIOT OS allows remote attackers to cause a denial-of-service condition on CC2538-based IoT devices by sending specially crafted IEEE 802.15.4 packets. The flaw causes the device to enter an endless loop, rendering it unresponsive. Affected systems include IoT devices running vulnerable versions of RIOT OS with CC2538 radio hardware.
💻 Affected Systems
- RIOT OS
📦 What is this software?
Riot by Riot Os
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Permanent device bricking requiring physical reset or reflashing, complete loss of device functionality
Likely Case
Temporary denial-of-service until manual reboot, disruption of IoT network operations
If Mitigated
Limited impact with network segmentation and packet filtering in place
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires sending crafted radio packets but no authentication needed
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Not yet released
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/pull/20998
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Monitor RIOT OS repository for official patch release
2. Apply patch when available
3. Recompile and reflash affected devices
4. Verify fix with testing
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable AUTO_ACK
allDisable automatic acknowledgment in radio configuration to prevent state mismatch
Modify radio configuration to disable AUTO_ACK feature
Network Segmentation
allIsolate vulnerable devices in separate network segments
Configure network segmentation for IoT devices
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement network monitoring for anomalous IEEE 802.15.4 traffic patterns
- Deploy physical security controls to limit radio access to trusted devices only
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if device uses RIOT OS with CC2538 radio and version predates PR #20998Check Version:
Check RIOT OS version in device firmware or build configurationVerify Fix Applied:
Test with crafted packets after applying fix to ensure no endless loop occurs📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Repeated CRC error messages
- Radio state stuck in TX_ACK
- Device unresponsiveness logs
Network Indicators:
- Anomalous IEEE 802.15.4 packet patterns
- Missing acknowledgments in network traffic
SIEM Query:
Search for radio state errors or CRC mismatch events in device logs🔗 References
- https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/blob/1a418ccfedeb79dbce1d79f49e63a28906184794/cpu/cc2538/radio/cc2538_rf_radio_ops.c#L183
- https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/blob/1a418ccfedeb79dbce1d79f49e63a28906184794/cpu/cc2538/radio/cc2538_rf_radio_ops.c#L417
- https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/blob/1a418ccfedeb79dbce1d79f49e63a28906184794/cpu/cc2538/radio/cc2538_rf_radio_ops.c#L419
- https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/blob/1a418ccfedeb79dbce1d79f49e63a28906184794/cpu/cc2538/radio/cc2538_rf_radio_ops.c#L421-L422
- https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/blob/1a418ccfedeb79dbce1d79f49e63a28906184794/sys/net/link_layer/ieee802154/submac.c#L149
- https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/pull/20998
- https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/security/advisories/GHSA-m75q-8vj8-wppw
