CVE-2022-42761 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in the WLAN driver of several Unisoc (Shanghai) Technologies Co., Ltd. chipsets, including SC9863A, SC9832E, SC7731E, T610, T310, T606, T760, T618, T612, T616, T770, T820, and S8000. These chipsets are commonly integrated into Android devices running Android 10, 11, and 12. The vulnerability stems from a missing bounds check in the WLAN driver code, classified under CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read). This flaw allows a local attacker with limited privileges (low complexity) to trigger an out-of-bounds read operation within the WLAN driver. Although this vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or integrity, it can cause a denial of service (DoS) by crashing or destabilizing WLAN services on affected devices. Exploitation does not require user interaction but does require local access with some privileges, such as a malicious app or process running on the device. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.5, reflecting a medium severity level, with the vector indicating local attack vector, low attack complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, unchanged scope, no impact on confidentiality or integrity, but high impact on availability. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no official patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability was reserved in October 2022 and published in December 2022, with enrichment from CISA. Given the affected chipsets are widely used in budget and mid-range Android smartphones, this vulnerability could affect a significant number of devices globally, especially in markets where Unisoc chipsets are prevalent.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2022-42761 is the potential disruption of WLAN connectivity on devices using affected Unisoc chipsets. This could lead to temporary denial of service of wireless network access on impacted Android devices, affecting employee productivity, especially in environments relying heavily on mobile connectivity. While the vulnerability does not allow data exfiltration or device takeover, the loss of WLAN service could interrupt critical communications, remote access, or mobile applications dependent on network connectivity. Organizations with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies or those deploying Unisoc chipset-based devices in their mobile fleets are at higher risk. Additionally, sectors such as telecommunications, logistics, and field services that rely on mobile devices for real-time data exchange could experience operational delays. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the presence of a local attack vector means that malicious insiders or compromised apps could trigger the DoS condition. The impact is more pronounced in environments where WLAN connectivity is essential and alternative network access is limited.

1. Monitor for official firmware or driver updates from device manufacturers and Unisoc that address CVE-2022-42761 and apply them promptly. 2. Restrict installation of untrusted or unnecessary applications on devices with affected chipsets to reduce the risk of local exploitation. 3. Employ mobile device management (MDM) solutions to enforce security policies, including app whitelisting and privilege restrictions, minimizing the chance of malicious local code execution. 4. Educate users about the risks of installing apps from unofficial sources, as local privilege is required for exploitation. 5. For critical environments, consider network segmentation or alternative connectivity options to mitigate the impact of WLAN service disruption. 6. Implement monitoring for unusual WLAN service crashes or connectivity issues that could indicate exploitation attempts. 7. Coordinate with device vendors to obtain security advisories and patches specific to the affected chipsets and Android versions. 8. In the absence of patches, consider disabling or limiting WLAN functionality on devices in highly sensitive environments if feasible.