Overview
CVE-2023-21125 is a critical vulnerability that exists in the Bluetooth interface code of certain systems, specifically in the btif_hh_hsdata_rpt_copy_cb of bta_hh.cc. This vulnerability, if exploited, can lead to memory corruption due to a use after free, causing local privilege escalation over Bluetooth. This means that an attacker can gain unauthorized access to the system and increase their privileges, potentially compromising the entire system or leading to data leakage. This issue is of high concern because it does not require any additional execution privileges and does not necessitate user interaction for exploitation.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2023-21125
Severity: High (CVSS: 8.0)
Attack Vector: Bluetooth
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: Local escalation of privilege leading to potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Bluetooth Interface | All versions before patch
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability lies within the btif_hh_hsdata_rpt_copy_cb of bta_hh.cc. This function is used to copy handshake data reports in the Bluetooth interface. The problem arises when an object that has been freed is still used in this function, leading to a “use after free” vulnerability. This can cause memory corruption, which an attacker can exploit to execute arbitrary code and escalate privileges.
Conceptual Example Code
The following is a conceptual representation of how an attacker might exploit this vulnerability:
// hypothetical code
BluetoothObject *obj = new BluetoothObject();
delete obj; // The object is freed here
// Later in the code...
btif_hh_hsdata_rpt_copy_cb(obj); // The freed object is still used here, leading to memory corruption
obj->execute("malicious_code"); // The attacker exploits the memory corruption to execute arbitrary codeHow to Mitigate
The best way to mitigate this vulnerability is by applying the patch provided by the vendor as soon as possible. If this is not immediately possible, a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can be used as a temporary mitigation to monitor and block suspicious activities. However, this should not be considered a permanent solution, as these systems may not be able to fully prevent an exploit of this vulnerability.
