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315 5g FirmwareOperating system · Qualcomm

CVE-2023-21631

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-07-04
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges 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
Weak Configuration due to improper input validation in Modem while processing LTE security mode command message received from network.

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 · moderate confidence

This vulnerability exists in the modem component's LTE security mode command processing, where improper input validation allows acceptance of weak security configurations from the network. An attacker could potentially force the device into using weaker cryptographic settings, compromising LTE communication security.

MitigationApply vendor-supplied firmware/microcode updates to the affected modem/baseband processor that implement proper validation of LTE security mode commands and reject insecure configurations.

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
315 5g FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
9205 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Apq8017 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Apq8037 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Aqt1000 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Ar8035 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
C V2x 9150 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Csra6620 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions

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
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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 the modem or baseband firmware version
    Use AT command interface to the modem (e.g., via serial or diagnostic port): send 'AT+CGMR' or 'AT+GMR' to retrieve firmware version information. On Android, check via 'getprop' for properties like 'gsm.version.baseband' or 'ril.modem.version'. On Linux, check '/proc/version' or use 'dmidecode' if available for baseband info.
    Affected if The returned firmware version corresponds to any of the listed affected products: Qualcomm 315 5g, 9205, Apq8017, Apq8037, Aqt1000, Ar8035, C V2x 9150, or Csra6620.
  2. Identify the specific Qualcomm chipset model
    Query the modem for its chipset identifier using 'AT+CGMM' or 'AT+CGSN' for IMEI, then cross-reference with Qualcomm product naming. On Android, check 'getprop' for 'ro.hardware' or 'ril.mediatek.modem' alternatives. Check /sys/class/net/*/device/country or similar for modem device paths.
    Affected if The chipset model matches any of the affected products listed in the CVE.
  3. Verify the LTE security mode configuration
    Check if the modem accepts or has accepted weak security configurations. Use AT commands like 'AT+CSCS?' or look for LTE security mode related settings via diagnostic logs. On Android, examine 'adb shell dumpsys radio' output for security mode commands or 'SECURITY_MODE' entries in modem logs.
    Affected if The modem logs or configuration show acceptance of weak security modes (e.g., 'NULL' ciphering, no integrity protection, or 'UEA0'/'UIA0' algorithms) in LTE Attach or TAU procedures.
  4. Review modem diagnostic or protocol logs
    Capture LTE NAS (Non-Access Stratum) messages during Attach or Tracking Area Update procedures. Look for 'Security mode command' and 'Security mode complete' messages. Check if the AS/ES security capabilities negotiated include NULL encryption or integrity algorithms (0x0 or 0x1).
    Affected if The security mode command logs indicate the device accepted insecure ciphering/integrity algorithms (EIA0, EIA1, EEA0, EEA1) when stronger options were available from the network.

Your environment is affected if the installed modem/baseband firmware corresponds to any of the Qualcomm chipsets listed (315 5g, 9205, Apq8017, Apq8037, Aqt1000, Ar8035, C V2x 9150, or Csra6620) and the device has processed LTE security mode commands without rejecting weak configurations.

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.

From vendor data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply vendor-supplied firmware/microcode updates to the affected modem/baseband processor that implement proper validation of LTE security mode commands and reject insecure configurations.

Fix this in 315 5g Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation8.0 h
  • Implementation16.0 h
  • Testing12.0 h
  • Review / QA6.0 h
42.0 hours of engineering $7,360
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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-2023-21631 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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