5G service interruption via malformed MAC/RLC frame
Published Dec 5, 2023 · Updated Aug 2, 2024
Reachable assertion in Qualcomm Snapdragon modem firmware allows physically proximate attackers to interrupt 5G service with a malformed frame. In demonstrated X55/X60 firmware, the MAC/RLC handler processes an altered status-PDU header as a beam update for an unconfigured bandwidth part, reaches an assertion, and reboots the modem. A stronger malicious gNB must be within radio range; the frame arrives before NAS authentication, and repeated packets can sustain loss of 3GPP connectivity.
Summary
What happened
Reachable assertion in Qualcomm Snapdragon modem firmware allows physically proximate attackers to interrupt 5G service with a malformed frame. In demonstrated X55/X60 firmware, the MAC/RLC handler processes an altered status-PDU header as a beam update for an unconfigured bandwidth part, reaches an assertion, and reboots the modem. A stronger malicious gNB must be within radio range; the frame arrives before NAS authentication, and repeated packets can sustain loss of 3GPP connectivity.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-33043
- Published
- Dec 5, 2023
- Updated
- Aug 2, 2024
- Vendor
- Qualcomm
- Product
- Snapdragon
- Classifications
- CWE-617, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 5, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 2, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=AR8035
- Affected versionversion=FastConnect 6200
- Affected versionversion=FastConnect 6700
- Affected versionversion=FastConnect 6900
- Affected versionversion=FastConnect 7800
- Affected versionversion=QCA6391
- Affected versionversion=QCA8081
- Affected versionversion=QCA8337
- Affected versionversion=QCM4490
- Affected versionversion=QCM6490
- Affected versionversion=QCM8550
- Affected versionversion=QCN6024
- Affected versionversion=QCN9024
- Affected versionversion=QCS4490
- Affected versionversion=QCS6490
- Affected versionversion=QCS8550
- Affected versionversion=Qualcomm Video Collaboration VC3 Platform
- Affected versionversion=SD888
- Affected versionversion=SDX57M
- Affected versionversion=SM7315
- Affected versionversion=SM7325P
- Affected versionversion=SM8550P
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 480 5G Mobile Platform
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 480+ 5G Mobile Platform (SM4350-AC)
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 Mobile Platform
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 Mobile Platform
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 695 5G Mobile Platform
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 778G 5G Mobile Platform
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 778G+ 5G Mobile Platform (SM7325-AE)
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 780G 5G Mobile Platform
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 782G Mobile Platform (SM7325-AF)
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3 Compute
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 888 5G Mobile Platform
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 888+ 5G Mobile Platform (SM8350-AC)
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Mobile Platform
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Mobile Platform
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2 Mobile Platform
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System
- Affected versionversion=Snapdragon X70 Modem-RF System
- Affected versionversion=WCD9370
- Affected versionversion=WCD9375
- Affected versionversion=WCD9380
- Affected versionversion=WCD9385
- Affected versionversion=WCD9390
- Affected versionversion=WCD9395
- Affected versionversion=WCN3950
- Affected versionversion=WCN3988
- Affected versionversion=WCN6740
- Affected versionversion=WSA8810
- Affected versionversion=WSA8815
- Affected versionversion=WSA8830
- Affected versionversion=WSA8832
- Affected versionversion=WSA8835
- Affected versionversion=WSA8840
- Affected versionversion=WSA8845
- Affected versionversion=WSA8845H
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Public exploit references
- 5Ghoul Invalid MAC/RLC PDU exploitfunctional · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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