CVE-2020-24586 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

CVE-2020-24586 is a vulnerability in the 802.11 standard affecting Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA, WPA2, WPA3) and Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). This vulnerability could allow an attacker to inject arbitrary network packets or exfiltrate user data.

Understanding CVE-2020-24586

What is CVE-2020-24586?

The vulnerability arises from the lack of memory clearance for received fragments after connecting to a network, enabling malicious injection and data exfiltration through encrypted fragmented frames.

The Impact of CVE-2020-24586

This vulnerability poses a significant security risk as it allows unauthorized network packet injection and potential user data theft.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-24586

Vulnerability Description

The 802.11 standard does not mandate the clearing of received fragments from memory, leading to exploitation by malicious actors.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: n/a
Product: n/a
Affected Versions: All versions

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending fragmented frames encrypted with WEP, CCMP, or GCMP to inject malicious network packets or exfiltrate data.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable WEP encryption and use more secure protocols like WPA2 or WPA3.
Regularly update Wi-Fi devices with the latest firmware patches.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.
Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities.
Educate users on secure Wi-Fi practices and the risks associated with insecure protocols.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories from relevant vendors and apply patches promptly to mitigate the risk of exploitation.