Model 3 FirmwareOperating system · Tesla

CVE-2023-32155

HIGH · 7.0 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-05-03
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
72/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
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
Tesla Model 3 bcmdhd Out-Of-Bounds Write Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected Tesla Model 3 vehicles. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute code on the wifi subsystem in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the bcmdhd driver. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in a write past the end of an allocated buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of the kernel. . Was ZDI-CAN-20733.

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

The vulnerability exists in the bcmdhd WiFi driver used in Tesla Model 3 vehicles. It stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied data, allowing an out-of-bounds write past the end of an allocated buffer. An attacker who first gains code execution on the WiFi subsystem can exploit this to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in kernel context.

MitigationApply Tesla-provided firmware/driver updates for the bcmdhd component. Until a patch is available, restrict physical and network access to prevent unauthorized access to the WiFi subsystem.

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:= 2023.6

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

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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 the vehicle firmware version
    Access the vehicle's system information or diagnostic interface to determine the installed firmware version. On Tesla Model 3, this is typically available through the vehicle's central screen under 'Controls' > 'Software' or via the service mode interface accessible to technicians.
    Affected if The firmware version displayed is 2023.6 exactly
  2. Confirm the bcmdhd WiFi driver is in use
    Through the vehicle's diagnostic or service mode interface, verify that the bcmdhd wireless driver is loaded and active. This driver is specific to the WiFi hardware in affected vehicles.
    Affected if The bcmdhd WiFi driver is present and active on the system
  3. Determine if WiFi functionality is enabled
    Check the vehicle settings to see if WiFi is turned on. The vulnerability requires interaction with the WiFi subsystem, so an disabled WiFi reduces the attack surface.
    Affected if WiFi is enabled and the vehicle firmware is version 2023.6

A Tesla Model 3 running firmware version 2023.6 with the bcmdhd WiFi driver active is affected by this vulnerability.

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 Tesla-provided firmware/driver updates for the bcmdhd component. Until a patch is available, restrict physical and network access to prevent unauthorized access to the WiFi subsystem.

Fix this in Model 3 Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing12.0 h
  • Review / QA6.0 h
30.0 hours of engineering $5,120
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Scan for this in your stack

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dbcve dependency scanner

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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-2023-32155 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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