CVE-2024-40930

What it actually does

Missing length validation on the HE operation element in cfg80211 allows out-of-bounds memory access during parsing of Wi-Fi management frames.

Why it matters to the business

Potential kernel crashes or code execution on Linux systems with wireless networking enabled, leading to denial of service or compromise of affected devices.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker transmits a specially crafted 802.11 frame containing an HE operation element with an invalid length field, which the kernel parses without bounds checking, resulting in memory corruption.

How to fix it

Apply the kernel patch updating to commit f15e3e13e14cc5ae8f950c16efe706add18ac8e2 or later stable versions that include the length validation for the HE operation element.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify the presence of the length check in the HE operation element parsing code in cfg80211 after applying the fix.

Typical attack path

1. Craft malicious Wi-Fi management frame with malformed HE operation element
2. Transmit frame to target device
3. Trigger parsing in cfg80211 module
4. Achieve out-of-bounds read or write

How to detect it

Inspect kernel logs for cfg80211 or wireless subsystem crashes involving HE element parsing errors.

What your security team should do

• Update Linux kernel to the patched commit f15e3e13e14cc5ae8f950c16efe706add18ac8e2
• Monitor wireless driver logs for parsing anomalies
• Disable unused Wi-Fi interfaces on exposed systems