CVE-2022-42769 is a 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 S8014. These chipsets are used in various Android devices running Android 10, 11, and 12. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read, which occurs due to a missing bounds check in the WLAN driver code. This flaw allows the driver to read memory beyond the intended buffer limits, potentially leading to instability in the WLAN services. The primary impact of this vulnerability is a local denial of service (DoS) condition affecting wireless LAN functionality. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 3.3, indicating a low severity level, with the attack vector being local (AV:L), requiring low attack complexity (AC:L), low privileges (PR:L), and no user interaction (UI:N). The vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or integrity but affects availability by causing service disruption. There are no known exploits in the wild, and no patches have been linked in the provided data. The vulnerability affects devices using the specified Unisoc chipsets, which are commonly found in budget and mid-range Android smartphones, particularly in markets where Unisoc SoCs are prevalent. The issue is reserved since October 2022 and publicly disclosed in December 2022. Given the local nature of the attack, exploitation requires access to the device, likely through a local user or malicious application with limited privileges, but no user interaction is needed once the attacker has local access.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-42769 is primarily limited to availability disruptions on devices using affected Unisoc chipsets. Since the vulnerability causes a local denial of service in WLAN services, affected devices may experience intermittent or complete loss of wireless connectivity, which can disrupt business operations relying on mobile connectivity. This could affect employees using vulnerable Android devices for corporate communications, remote access, or IoT devices incorporating these chipsets. However, the low severity and local attack vector reduce the likelihood of widespread impact. Confidentiality and integrity of data are not compromised, so data breaches or unauthorized data manipulation are not expected from this vulnerability alone. The absence of known exploits and the requirement for local access further limit the threat scope. Nonetheless, organizations with a significant number of devices using Unisoc chipsets should be aware of potential service interruptions, especially in environments where wireless connectivity is critical. The vulnerability could also be leveraged as part of a multi-stage attack if combined with other vulnerabilities, but on its own, it mainly poses a risk of service degradation or temporary denial of WLAN functionality.

To mitigate CVE-2022-42769, organizations should: 1) Identify and inventory devices using the affected Unisoc chipsets and Android versions (10, 11, 12). 2) Monitor vendor and Unisoc communications for official patches or firmware updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available. 3) Restrict local access to devices by enforcing strong device access controls, including screen locks, device encryption, and limiting installation of untrusted applications to reduce the risk of local exploitation. 4) Employ mobile device management (MDM) solutions to enforce security policies and monitor device health and connectivity issues that may indicate exploitation attempts. 5) Educate users about the risks of installing untrusted apps or granting unnecessary permissions that could facilitate local attacks. 6) For critical environments, consider network segmentation or use of alternative devices with chipsets not affected by this vulnerability until patches are available. 7) Implement robust incident response procedures to quickly identify and remediate WLAN service disruptions potentially caused by this vulnerability. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on device-specific inventory, access control, and proactive monitoring tailored to the nature of this local, low-severity vulnerability.