CVE-2020-12654

Description

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel. The Marvell mwifiex driver allows a remote WiFi access point to trigger a heap-based memory buffer overflow due to an incorrect memcpy operation. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to data integrity and system availability.

Mitigation

In order to mitigate this issue, it is possible to prevent the affected code from being loaded by blacklisting the kernel module mwifiex. For instructions relating to how to blacklist a kernel module, refer to: https://access.redhat.com/solutions/41278

Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details

Info alert:Important note

CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).

CVSS v3 Score Breakdown

Red HatNVDcve.org
Base Score7.17.1N/A
Attack VectorAdjacent NetworkAdjacent NetworkN/A
Attack ComplexityHighHighN/A
Privileges RequiredNoneNoneN/A
User InteractionRequiredRequiredN/A
ScopeUnchangedUnchangedN/A
ConfidentialityHighHighN/A
Integrity ImpactHighHighN/A
Availability ImpactHighHighN/A

Vector

Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

NVD: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Red Hat CVSS v3 Score Explanation

This issue is exploitable over WLAN, hence AV:A. The user needs to initiate the scan for the APs in the range, UI:R. The function in question processes WMM status command response from firmware, so the exploitation very much relies on the firmware itself, AC:H.

Understanding the Weakness (CWE)

Availability

Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU); DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory)

Buffer overflows generally lead to crashes. Other attacks leading to lack of availability are possible, including putting the program into an infinite loop.

Integrity,Confidentiality,Availability,Access Control

Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; Bypass Protection Mechanism; Modify Memory

Buffer overflows often can be used to execute arbitrary code, which is usually outside the scope of a program's implicit security policy. Besides important user data, heap-based overflows can be used to overwrite function pointers that may be living in memory, pointing it to the attacker's code. Even in applications that do not explicitly use function pointers, the run-time will usually leave many in memory. For example, object methods in C++ are generally implemented using function pointers. Even in C programs, there is often a global offset table used by the underlying runtime.

Integrity,Confidentiality,Availability,Access Control,Other

Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; Bypass Protection Mechanism; Other

When the consequence is arbitrary code execution, this can often be used to subvert any other security service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Want to get errata notifications? Sign up here.