CVE-2023-32096 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A detailed overview of CVE-2023-32096 highlighting the vulnerability, impact, technical details, and mitigation steps.

Understanding CVE-2023-32096

This section explains the critical information about the CVE-2023-32096 vulnerability.

What is CVE-2023-32096?

The CVE-2023-32096 vulnerability involves the removal of buffer clearing in

sli_crypto_transparent_aead_encrypt_tag

in Silicon Labs Gecko Platform SDK v4.2.1 and earlier versions. This results in key material duplication to RAM.

The Impact of CVE-2023-32096

The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 3.1 (Low severity) with a HIGH attack complexity. It allows attackers to duplicate key material to RAM, potentially compromising confidentiality.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-32096

This section delves into the technical aspects of the CVE-2023-32096 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stems from compiler removal of buffer clearing in

sli_crypto_transparent_aead_encrypt_tag

, facilitating key material duplication to RAM in older SDK versions.

Affected Systems and Versions

The Silicon Labs Gecko Platform SDK v4.2.1 and earlier versions are affected by this vulnerability. Specifically, versions less than 4.2.2 are vulnerable.

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by attackers with low privileges through a network attack vector, impacting the confidentiality of key material.

Mitigation and Prevention

Here are the recommended steps to mitigate and prevent the CVE-2023-32096 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update to Silicon Labs Gecko Platform SDK version 4.2.2 or higher to patch the vulnerability.
Regularly monitor security advisories from Silicon Labs for any updates or patches.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement secure coding practices to prevent buffer clearing issues in your code.
Conduct regular security audits and code reviews to identify and address vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply all security patches and updates provided by Silicon Labs promptly to ensure the protection of key material and prevent RAM duplication vulnerabilities.