BaseFortify

Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves improper validation of the HE operation element in Wi-Fi beacons. The HE operation element must not only be longer than a fixed part but also have an appropriate size for its variable part. The kernel fails to properly check this, potentially allowing malformed beacons to cause issues.

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Detection Guidance

This vulnerability involves malformed HE operation elements in WiFi beacons. Detection requires monitoring WiFi traffic for non-compliant beacon frames. Use tools like tcpdump or Wireshark to capture and analyze 802.11 beacon frames for HE operation elements with incorrect lengths. Example command: tcpdump -i wlan0 -nn -e -s 0 -A 'type mgt and subtype beacon' | grep -i 'HE operation'.

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Impact Analysis

This vulnerability could allow attackers to send malformed Wi-Fi beacons that exploit kernel weaknesses. This might lead to system crashes, denial of service, or unauthorized access if the kernel processes these beacons incorrectly.

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Compliance Impact

This vulnerability does not directly affect compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, or other common standards and regulations. It is a low-level kernel issue related to Wi-Fi beacon validation, which does not involve data handling, privacy, or security controls typically governed by these regulations.

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Mitigation Strategies

Update your Linux kernel to the latest stable version that includes the fix for this issue. If using a distribution kernel, apply available patches immediately. Disable WiFi interfaces temporarily if an update is not immediately possible, though this may impact network connectivity.

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