dbcve.org
Model 3 FirmwareOperating system · Tesla

CVE-2022-42431

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-03-29
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 2022.28 or later.
See remediation →
80/100
Remediation priority · High
Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected Tesla vehicles. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the bcmdhd driver. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of root. Was ZDI-CAN-17544.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Buffer overflow vulnerability in the bcmdhd (Broadcom WiFi) driver used in Tesla vehicles. The flaw results from insufficient validation of user-supplied data length before copying to a buffer, allowing a local attacker who already has privileged code execution to escalate to root and execute arbitrary code.

MitigationApply Tesla firmware updates containing the patched bcmdhd driver; restrict physical and local access to vehicle systems given this requires prior privileged execution.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Model 3 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 2022.28

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify Tesla Model 3 firmware version
    Access vehicle system information through Tesla service mode or diagnostic interface to retrieve the current firmware build number
    Affected if Firmware version is below 2022.28 (e.g., 2022.12, 2022.20, etc.)
  2. Confirm vehicle model
    Verify the affected vehicle is a Tesla Model 3 (this vulnerability specifically affects Model 3, not other Tesla models)
    Affected if Vehicle is a Tesla Model 3 with firmware < 2022.28
  3. Check bcmdhd driver presence
    Inspect loaded kernel modules or WiFi driver information through vehicle diagnostic tools - the bcmdhd Broadcom WiFi driver must be present and loaded for the vulnerability to be exploitable
    Affected if bcmdhd driver is loaded and firmware version is below the patched release

A Tesla Model 3 vehicle with bcmdhd WiFi driver present and firmware version below 2022.28 is affected by this buffer overflow vulnerability that allows local privilege escalation from privileged code execution to root.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 2022.28 or later
Fixed in 2022.28
Interim mitigation

Apply Tesla firmware updates containing the patched bcmdhd driver; restrict physical and local access to vehicle systems given this requires prior privileged execution.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Tesla Model 3 Firmware version 2022.28 or later

  1. 1. Navigate to the vehicle's Settings menu on the touchscreen
  2. 2. Go to 'Software' to check the current firmware version
  3. 3. If the firmware version is below 2022.28, look for an available software update
  4. 4. Select 'Download' and then 'Install Now' to update the vehicle firmware to version 2022.28 or later
  5. 5. Alternatively, contact Tesla service center for assistance with firmware update if OTA update is not available
Caveat Firmware updates for vehicles should be performed with vehicle plugged in and may require downtime; ensure vehicle has sufficient battery charge before initiating update

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Model 3 Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing16.0 h
  • Review / QA8.0 h
36.0 hours of engineering $6,080
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2022-42431 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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