CVE-2023-32156
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 · uneditedTesla Model 3 Gateway Firmware Signature Validation Bypass Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows network-adjacent attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected Tesla Model 3 vehicles. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute privileged code on the Tesla infotainment system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the handling of firmware updates. The issue results from improper error-handling during the update process. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of Tesla's Gateway ECU. . Was ZDI-CAN-20734.
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 confidenceThe vulnerability exists in the Gateway ECU firmware update process of Tesla Model 3 vehicles. The flaw involves improper error-handling during firmware signature validation that allows a network-adjacent attacker to bypass signature checks, enabling arbitrary code execution on the Gateway ECU. Exploitation requires the attacker to first achieve privileged code execution on the vehicle's infotainment system.
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= 2023.6CVSS 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
- Adjacent
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify Gateway ECU firmware versionAccess the vehicle's diagnostic menu through the infotainment system (Service Mode) or connect an OBD-II scanner to read the Gateway ECU firmware version. Navigate to Vehicle Info or Gateway module information.Affected if The Gateway ECU firmware version is exactly 2023.6 (this specific version is affected)
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Verify main vehicle firmware versionCheck the overall vehicle firmware version displayed in the infotainment system under Vehicle Settings > Software, or use Tesla's service mode to read the firmware version.Affected if The vehicle firmware shows version 2023.6, indicating the Gateway ECU may contain the vulnerable code
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Confirm infotainment system integrityReview system logs for any unauthorized access or unusual processes on the infotainment (MCU) unit. Check for signs of prior compromise that would satisfy the exploitation prerequisite.Affected if The infotainment system shows evidence of unauthorized privileged access or unexpected modifications, indicating the prerequisite for exploitation may exist
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Check vehicle network exposureExamine the vehicle's network configuration to determine if external/network-adjacent attackers could reach the vehicle. Look for any connected services, WiFi status, and Bluetooth configuration.Affected if The vehicle has active network connections that could allow a network-adjacent attacker to reach the vehicle's internal network
A Tesla Model 3 vehicle is affected if its Gateway ECU or overall firmware is version 2023.6 and the attacker has already achieved privileged code execution on the infotainment system.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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 dataTesla must issue a firmware update that implements proper error-handling and signature validation in the Gateway ECU update process. Vehicle owners should apply any available security updates through Tesla's OTA update mechanism or service campaign.
- Consultation12.0 h
- Implementation60.0 h
- Testing32.0 h
- Review / QA16.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-32156 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-32156 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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