CVE-2023-20694 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This CVE record was published by MediaTek on May 15, 2023. It involves a vulnerability in the preloader, potentially leading to an out-of-bounds write due to a missing bounds check. The exploitation of this vulnerability could result in local escalation of privilege, requiring System execution privileges and does not necessitate user interaction. The patch ID for this issue is ALPS07733998 / ALPS07874388 for MT6880 and MT6890 only.

Understanding CVE-2023-20694

This section will delve into the details of CVE-2023-20694.

What is CVE-2023-20694?

CVE-2023-20694 is a vulnerability found in the preloader of certain MediaTek products, which could allow for an out-of-bounds write attack, leading to a local escalation of privilege.

The Impact of CVE-2023-20694

The impact of this vulnerability is the potential for an attacker to exploit the out-of-bounds write to gain elevated privileges on the system without requiring user interaction.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-20694

In this section, we will explore the technical aspects of CVE-2023-20694.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from a missing bounds check in the preloader, allowing for an out-of-bounds write attack.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects a wide range of MediaTek products including MT6580, MT6739, MT6761, MT6765, and many others. The impacted versions include Android 12.0, 13.0, and OpenWrt 19.07, 21.02.

Exploitation Mechanism

The exploitation of this vulnerability can enable an attacker to locally escalate privileges without the need for user interaction.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section will highlight the steps to mitigate and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2023-20694.

Immediate Steps to Take

Immediate steps to mitigate the risk posed by CVE-2023-20694 include applying the provided patch ID: ALPS07733998 / ALPS07874388 for MT6880 and MT6890 products.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing robust security practices, such as regularly updating software and monitoring for suspicious activities, can help prevent potential threats.

Patching and Updates

Ensuring that all devices are up-to-date with the latest security patches and firmware updates from MediaTek is crucial in safeguarding against vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-20694.