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Linux KernelOperating system · Linux

CVE-2023-32820

HIGH · 7.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-10-02
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
84/100
Remediation priority · High
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
In wlan firmware, there is a possible firmware assertion due to improper input handling. This could lead to remote denial of service with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Patch ID: ALPS07932637; Issue ID: ALPS07932637.

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 WLAN firmware where improper input handling triggers a firmware assertion, causing the device to crash and resulting in remote denial of service. The exploit requires no user interaction or elevated privileges, making it easily exploitable over the network.

MitigationApply the vendor firmware patch (ALPS07932637) to affected devices. If patches are unavailable, consider network segmentation to limit WLAN exposure and monitor for unusual firmware assertion failures.

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
Linux KernelOperating system
Affected:= 4.19
YoctoApplication
Affected:= 3.1= 3.3
Iot YoctoApplication
Affected:= 23.0
AndroidOperating system
Affected:= 11.0= 12.0= 13.0

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
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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 kernel version
    Run 'uname -r' on Linux/Yocto systems or check kernel version in Android settings under 'About Phone' > 'Kernel version'
    Affected if Kernel version is exactly 4.19 (e.g., 4.19.x)
  2. Identify Yocto version
    Check /etc/lsb-release or run 'cat /etc/os-release' on Yocto-based embedded devices
    Affected if Yocto version shows 3.1 or 3.3 (e.g., 'Yocto 3.1' or 'Yocto 3.3' in the OS release info)
  3. Identify Android version
    Go to Android Settings > About Phone > Android version
    Affected if Android version is 11.0, 12.0, or 13.0
  4. Check WLAN hardware vendor
    Run 'lspci | grep -i wireless' for PCIe WiFi cards, or 'lsusb' for USB adapters, or check Android WiFi chip info in Settings > About Phone > SIM Status or hardware info
    Affected if WLAN hardware is from Mediatek (MTK, MediaTek) or the device uses Mediatek chipset
  5. Check WLAN firmware version
    On Linux/Yocto: run 'iw list' or check '/sys/class/net/wlan0/firmware' or use 'ethtool -i wlan0'. On Android: check WiFi firmware info via 'dmesg | grep wifi' or in kernel logs
    Affected if WLAN firmware version matches vulnerable Mediatek firmware builds (firmware assertion failures in WLAN subsystem)
  6. Verify WLAN interface status
    Run 'ip link show wlan0' or 'ifconfig wlan0' to confirm WLAN interface exists and is configured
    Affected if WLAN interface is present and active - the vulnerability triggers via network-based input to WLAN firmware

A system is affected if it runs any of the listed kernel/Yocto/Android versions AND uses Mediatek WLAN hardware/firmware, as the improper input handling flaw in the WLAN firmware will trigger firmware assertions leading to denial of service.

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
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply the vendor firmware patch (ALPS07932637) to affected devices. If patches are unavailable, consider network segmentation to limit WLAN exposure and monitor for unusual firmware assertion failures.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Kernel 5.4+ or later stable releases; specific MediaTek firmware version containing ALPS07932637

  1. 1. Identify the MediaTek WLAN hardware model in the affected device using `lspci | grep -i network` or `lsusb` for USB wireless adapters
  2. 2. Obtain the updated firmware patch ALPS07932637 from MediaTek through your device manufacturer or MediaTek's official support channels (corp.mediatek.com)
  3. 3. If using a Yocto-based distribution, rebuild the firmware image with the updated MediaTek firmware binaries provided in the patch
  4. 4. For Android devices, apply the firmware update through an OTA (Over-the-Air) update from the device manufacturer or through a security patch level update that incorporates this fix
  5. 5. For Linux Kernel systems, ensure the kernel is updated to a version that bundles the fixed MediaTek firmware (kernel 5.4+ or later stable kernels with backported fixes)
  6. 6. After applying the firmware update, verify the WLAN interface loads the updated firmware version using `dmesg | grep -i firmware` or by checking the firmware version through `iw list`
  7. 7. Test WLAN functionality to confirm the assertion condition is resolved and no denial of service occurs
Caveat Firmware updates carry risk of introducing new issues; ensure backup and test in non-production environment first

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

Fix this in Linux Kernel Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
21.0 hours of engineering $3,680
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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-2023-32820 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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