CVE-2023-24826 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE involves the exploitation of an uninitialized timer during the forwarding of fragments with SFR in the RIOT-OS operating system. It was published on May 30, 2023.

Understanding CVE-2023-24826

The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-24826 is related to the access of an uninitialized pointer within the RIOT-OS operating system's handling of 6LoWPAN frames.

What is CVE-2023-24826?

RIOT-OS, designed for Internet of Things (IoT) devices, includes a network stack capable of processing 6LoWPAN frames. Before version 2023.04, an attacker could exploit this flaw by sending specially crafted frames to the device, leading to the utilization of an uninitialized object and resulting in a denial of service. This vulnerability has been rectified in version 2023.04.

The Impact of CVE-2023-24826

The impact of this vulnerability is classified as having a base severity level of MEDIUM (CVSS score of 5.9). The attack complexity is considered HIGH, and the availability impact is rated as HIGH.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-24826

This section delves into the specific technical aspects of the CVE-2023-24826 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in RIOT-OS allows an attacker to manipulate the handling of 6LoWPAN frames to exploit an uninitialized pointer, potentially leading to a denial of service scenario.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected vendor is RIOT-OS, and the product impacted is RIOT. Specifically, versions of RIOT prior to 2023.04 are vulnerable to this issue.

Exploitation Mechanism

By sending carefully crafted frames to the device, an attacker can trigger the use of uninitialized objects, exploiting the vulnerability in the handling of 6LoWPAN frames.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-24826 and mitigate its impact, certain steps can be taken by users and administrators.

Immediate Steps to Take

As an immediate measure to reduce the risk posed by this vulnerability, users are advised to update their RIOT-OS installations to version 2023.04 or later. Additionally, disabling fragment forwarding or SFR can serve as a temporary workaround.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing robust security measures and regular updates to the operating system can help prevent similar vulnerabilities and enhance the overall security posture of IoT devices.

Patching and Updates

It is crucial for users to stay vigilant for patches and updates released by RIOT-OS to address security vulnerabilities promptly. Regularly applying updates can help safeguard systems against potential threats.