dbcve.org
Model S FirmwareOperating system · Tesla

CVE-2024-6032

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2025-04-30
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 2024.8 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
Tesla Model S Iris Modem ql_atfwd Command Injection Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected Tesla Model S vehicles. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the ql_atfwd process. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of a user-supplied string before using it to execute a system call. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code on the target modem in the context of root. Was ZDI-CAN-23201.

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

Command injection vulnerability in Tesla Model S Iris modem's ql_atfwd process. The flaw results from insufficient validation of user-supplied strings before passing them to system calls, enabling arbitrary code execution with root privileges on the target modem.

MitigationRequires a firmware security update from Tesla that implements proper input validation and sanitization in the ql_atfwd process, distributed via the vehicle's update mechanism.

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 S FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 2024.8

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:3.0/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. Confirm vehicle model is Tesla Model S
    Identify the vehicle make and model through the vehicle's infotainment system settings, VIN lookup, or Tesla app
    Affected if Vehicle is not a Tesla Model S - not affected
  2. Check installed firmware version
    Access the vehicle's infotainment system 'Software' or 'About' section to view the current firmware version, or use Tesla service mode if available
    Affected if Firmware version is 2024.8 or higher - not affected; version is less than 2024.8 - potentially affected
  3. Verify ql_atfwd process is running
    If service mode or diagnostic access is available, check for the ql_atfwd process running on the Iris modem subsystem
    Affected if ql_atfwd process is not present or not running - likely not affected; process exists and is running - potentially affected
  4. Assess modem accessibility
    Determine if the Iris modem's AT command interface (ql_atfwd) is accessible from the vehicle's head unit or external interfaces
    Affected if Modem AT interface is isolated from user-accessible pathways - lower risk; interface is accessible - higher exposure

A Tesla Model S with firmware version below 2024.8 that has an accessible ql_atfwd process on the Iris modem is likely affected by this command injection 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.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 2024.8 or later
Fixed in 2024.8
Interim mitigation

Requires a firmware security update from Tesla that implements proper input validation and sanitization in the ql_atfwd process, distributed via the vehicle's update mechanism.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Tesla Model S Firmware 2024.8 or later

  1. Contact Tesla authorized service center to obtain and install firmware version 2024.8 or later
  2. Verify the installed firmware version after update by checking vehicle system information
  3. Alternatively, if over-the-air updates are available, ensure vehicle is connected to Wi-Fi or cellular network and allow update to complete
  4. Confirm the ql_atfwd process has been updated as part of the firmware patch
Caveat Vehicle firmware updates may temporarily disable certain features; ensure vehicle has adequate battery charge before initiating update; some older firmware features may not be available in newer versions

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

Fix this in Model S Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation8.0 h
  • Implementation24.0 h
  • Testing16.0 h
  • Review / QA8.0 h
56.0 hours of engineering $9,760
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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-2024-6032 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
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data