CVE-2022-42774 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in the WLAN driver of several Unisoc (Shanghai) Technologies Co., Ltd. chipsets, including SC9863A, SC9832E, SC7731E, and multiple T-series models (T310, T606, T610, T612, T616, T618, T760, T770, T820) as well as S8002. These chipsets are commonly integrated into Android devices running versions 10, 11, and 12. The vulnerability arises from a missing bounds check in the WLAN driver code, which leads to a buffer over-read condition classified under CWE-126 and CWE-125. A buffer over-read occurs when the software reads data beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, potentially causing memory corruption or system instability. In this case, the flaw can be triggered locally by an attacker with low privileges (local access with low complexity) and does not require user interaction. The impact is a denial of service (DoS) affecting WLAN services, which could cause the wireless network interface to crash or become unresponsive, disrupting network connectivity on affected devices. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium), reflecting the local attack vector, low attack complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, and impact limited to availability (no confidentiality or integrity impact). There are no known exploits in the wild at this time, and no official patches have been linked or published yet. The vulnerability was reserved in October 2022 and publicly disclosed in December 2022. Given the affected chipsets are widely used in budget and mid-range Android smartphones, the vulnerability poses a risk primarily to mobile users relying on these devices for wireless connectivity. The lack of a patch and the local nature of the attack suggest that exploitation would require physical or local access to the device, limiting the attack surface but still posing a risk in scenarios such as malicious apps or compromised local environments.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2022-42774 is the potential disruption of wireless network connectivity on devices using affected Unisoc chipsets. This could affect employees using vulnerable Android smartphones for corporate communications, remote access, or mobile applications, leading to temporary loss of network availability and productivity. While the vulnerability does not compromise data confidentiality or integrity, denial of service on WLAN services can hinder critical communications, especially in environments relying heavily on mobile connectivity. Sectors with high mobile workforce usage, such as logistics, field services, and healthcare, may experience operational interruptions. Additionally, organizations that deploy mobile device management (MDM) solutions or rely on Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies might face increased risk if devices are not updated or monitored for this vulnerability. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the absence of patches means the vulnerability could be targeted in the future. Given the local attack vector, insider threats or malicious applications installed on devices could exploit this flaw to degrade network availability.

1. Monitor for firmware and driver updates from device manufacturers and Unisoc that address this vulnerability and apply patches promptly once available. 2. Enforce strict application vetting policies to prevent installation of untrusted or malicious apps that could exploit local vulnerabilities. 3. Utilize mobile device management (MDM) solutions to monitor device health and network connectivity anomalies indicative of exploitation attempts. 4. Educate users on the risks of installing unauthorized software and the importance of device updates. 5. Where possible, restrict physical access to devices and limit local user privileges to reduce the risk of local exploitation. 6. For critical environments, consider deploying network access controls that can detect and isolate devices exhibiting unusual WLAN behavior or frequent disconnects. 7. Encourage use of devices with chipsets from vendors with faster patch cycles or verified security updates if replacement is feasible. 8. Implement layered network security controls to mitigate impact if devices lose WLAN connectivity, such as fallback to cellular data or wired connections.