CVE-2025-20686
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in MediaTek WLAN AP drivers allows remote attackers within wireless range to execute arbitrary code without authentication or user interaction. It affects devices using vulnerable MediaTek Wi-Fi chipsets, potentially including smartphones, routers, IoT devices, and embedded systems.
💻 Affected Systems
- MediaTek Wi-Fi chipsets with WLAN AP functionality
📦 What is this software?
Openwrt by Openwrt
Openwrt by Openwrt
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete device compromise leading to persistent malware installation, data theft, and pivot point for network attacks.
Likely Case
Device takeover enabling surveillance, credential theft, or botnet recruitment.
If Mitigated
Limited impact through network segmentation and strict access controls.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires proximity to target device but no authentication. Technical details not publicly available.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Driver patch ID: WCNCR00415570
Vendor Advisory: https://corp.mediatek.com/product-security-bulletin/July-2025
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Contact device manufacturer for firmware updates. 2. Apply MediaTek driver patch WCNCR00415570. 3. Reboot affected devices.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable vulnerable Wi-Fi interfaces
allTemporarily disable Wi-Fi AP functionality on affected devices
# For Linux: sudo ifconfig wlan0 down
# For Android: Settings > Network > Wi-Fi hotspot > Off
Network segmentation
allIsolate vulnerable devices from critical networks
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Segment affected devices on isolated VLANs
- Implement strict firewall rules limiting Wi-Fi interface access
- Monitor for unusual wireless traffic patterns
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check device specifications for MediaTek Wi-Fi chipsets and review firmware/driver versions against vendor advisories.Check Version:
# Check Wi-Fi driver version: dmesg | grep -i mediatek OR cat /sys/module/*/versionVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm patch WCNCR00415570 is applied via driver version check or manufacturer update verification.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic logs
- Wi-Fi driver crash reports
- Unexpected memory access errors
Network Indicators:
- Unusual Wi-Fi probe requests
- Malformed 802.11 frames targeting MediaTek devices
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("out of bounds" OR "buffer overflow" OR "mediatek" OR "wlan")