CVE-2023-52161 is a vulnerability identified in the iNet wireless daemon (IWD), a Linux-based wireless management daemon used to handle Wi-Fi connections, particularly in embedded and Linux environments. The flaw resides in the Access Point functionality within the EAPOL (Extensible Authentication Protocol over LAN) handshake implementation, specifically in the function eapol_auth_key_handle in eapol.c. Normally, the EAPOL handshake involves a four-message exchange to securely authenticate clients to a protected Wi-Fi network. This vulnerability allows an attacker to bypass part of this handshake by skipping message 2 of 4 and sending message 4 of 4 with an all-zero key. This manipulation tricks the Access Point into completing the handshake and granting network access without proper authentication. The vulnerability does not require any privileges or user interaction, making it remotely exploitable over the network. The CVSS 3.1 score of 7.5 reflects its high impact on confidentiality, as unauthorized users can gain access to protected networks, though it does not affect integrity or availability directly. No patches were linked in the provided data, but the vulnerability is fixed in IWD version 2.14 and later. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time, but the ease of exploitation and potential impact make it a critical issue for organizations relying on IWD for wireless access point management.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk of unauthorized access to protected Wi-Fi networks managed by IWD. Such unauthorized access can lead to data interception, lateral movement within internal networks, and potential exposure of sensitive information. Organizations in sectors with high security requirements, such as finance, healthcare, and government, could face confidentiality breaches. The vulnerability's network-based exploitability means attackers do not need physical access or credentials, increasing the attack surface. Additionally, compromised Wi-Fi networks can be used as entry points for further attacks, including malware deployment or espionage. The lack of impact on integrity and availability reduces the risk of service disruption but does not mitigate the confidentiality threat. European entities using Linux-based wireless infrastructure, especially those deploying IWD as an access point daemon, are particularly vulnerable. The absence of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive mitigation before widespread exploitation occurs.

1. Upgrade all instances of iNet wireless daemon (IWD) to version 2.14 or later, where the vulnerability is patched. 2. If immediate upgrading is not feasible, implement network segmentation to isolate wireless access points from sensitive internal networks, limiting potential lateral movement. 3. Monitor wireless network logs for unusual EAPOL handshake patterns, such as skipped messages or anomalous key exchanges, which may indicate exploitation attempts. 4. Employ network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) with signatures or heuristics capable of detecting abnormal EAPOL traffic. 5. Restrict physical and network access to wireless access points to trusted personnel and devices. 6. Conduct regular security audits of wireless infrastructure configurations and firmware versions. 7. Educate network administrators about this specific vulnerability and encourage vigilance for suspicious wireless authentication behavior. 8. Consider deploying additional authentication layers or network access control (NAC) solutions to mitigate risks from compromised Wi-Fi authentication.