CVE-2022-33239 is a vulnerability identified in the WLAN firmware of a broad range of Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms, including Snapdragon Auto, Compute, Connectivity, Consumer Electronics Connectivity, Consumer IoT, Industrial IoT, Mobile, Voice & Music, Wearables, and Wired Infrastructure and Networking products. The root cause of this vulnerability is a loop with an unreachable exit condition triggered during the parsing of IPv6 extension headers in the WLAN firmware. This flaw leads to a transient denial-of-service (DoS) condition, where the affected device's WLAN functionality becomes unresponsive or crashes temporarily. The issue is classified under CWE-835, which pertains to loops with unreachable exit conditions, indicating a logic error in the firmware's packet processing code. The affected versions encompass a wide array of Qualcomm chipsets and modules, including but not limited to APQ, IPQ, MDM, MSM, QCA, QCN, QCS, QRB, QSM, SA, SD, SM, SW, WCD, WCN, and WSA series. These chipsets are commonly embedded in numerous consumer, industrial, automotive, and IoT devices globally. The vulnerability does not require authentication or user interaction to be exploited; an attacker can send specially crafted IPv6 packets with malicious extension headers to trigger the infinite loop in the WLAN firmware. This results in a temporary denial of WLAN service, potentially disrupting network connectivity. There are no known exploits in the wild as of the publication date, and no patches have been linked or published yet. The transient nature of the DoS means the device may recover after a reset or timeout, but the disruption can impact critical operations, especially in environments relying heavily on wireless connectivity. The vulnerability was reserved in June 2022 and published in November 2022, with a medium severity rating assigned by the vendor. The broad range of affected hardware and the nature of the flaw highlight the importance of timely mitigation, especially in environments where network availability is critical.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-33239 can be significant depending on the deployment of affected Qualcomm Snapdragon-based devices. Given the extensive use of Qualcomm chipsets in mobile devices, automotive systems, IoT devices, and industrial equipment, a successful exploitation could lead to temporary WLAN outages. In enterprise environments, this could disrupt wireless network connectivity for employees, affecting productivity and access to critical services. In industrial and automotive sectors, where Snapdragon platforms are embedded in control systems and connected vehicles, transient DoS could lead to operational interruptions, safety risks, or degraded service quality. The vulnerability's ability to be triggered remotely without authentication increases the risk surface, especially in environments with IPv6 enabled networks. European organizations with IPv6 deployments, particularly in sectors like automotive manufacturing, smart city infrastructure, healthcare IoT, and critical infrastructure, may face increased exposure. Additionally, the transient DoS could be leveraged as part of a larger attack chain to cause distraction or denial of wireless communication channels during targeted attacks. However, the lack of known exploits and the transient nature of the DoS somewhat limit the immediate risk but do not eliminate the potential for disruption. Organizations relying on Qualcomm Snapdragon-based WLAN components should consider this vulnerability in their risk assessments and incident response planning.

1. Inventory and Identification: Conduct a thorough inventory of all devices and systems using Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets listed as affected, including mobile devices, IoT endpoints, automotive systems, and networking equipment. 2. Firmware Updates: Engage with device manufacturers and Qualcomm to obtain firmware updates or patches addressing this vulnerability. Although no patch links are currently available, monitoring vendor advisories and Qualcomm security bulletins is critical. 3. Network Segmentation: Isolate critical systems using affected hardware on separate VLANs or network segments to limit exposure to potentially malicious IPv6 traffic. 4. IPv6 Traffic Filtering: Implement network-level filtering to scrutinize and restrict IPv6 extension headers, especially those uncommon or unnecessary for the environment, to reduce the attack surface. 5. Intrusion Detection and Prevention: Deploy IDS/IPS solutions capable of detecting anomalous IPv6 packets or malformed extension headers that could trigger the vulnerability. 6. Incident Response Preparedness: Prepare for potential transient WLAN outages by establishing rapid recovery procedures, including device reboots or resets, and ensure backup communication channels are available. 7. Disable IPv6 if not required: Where IPv6 is not essential, consider disabling it on vulnerable devices to mitigate the risk of exploitation. 8. Vendor Coordination: Maintain close communication with Qualcomm and device vendors for timely updates and patches. 9. Testing: Before deploying updates or mitigations, test in controlled environments to ensure stability and compatibility. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on network-level controls specific to IPv6 extension headers and operational readiness for transient DoS events.