A high-severity vulnerability in the Wi-Fi scanning component could allow an attacker within radio range to cause a denial of service or execute arbitrary code.

An unspecified vulnerability exists in the wl_update_hidden_ap_ie() function of the wl_cfgscan module. This function is likely responsible for parsing Information Elements (IEs) from Wi-Fi beacons of hidden networks. A flaw here, such as a buffer overflow, could be triggered by a remote, unauthenticated attacker broadcasting specially crafted beacon frames.

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to crash the Wi-Fi service, leading to a denial of service and loss of network connectivity. In a worst-case scenario, the flaw could allow for remote code execution on the Wi-Fi chipset or host OS, leading to a full device compromise. The CVSS score of 7.8 (High) reflects the serious risk posed by a remotely exploitable flaw in a core networking driver.

Immediate Action: Apply the security updates or driver updates provided by the vendor to patch the vulnerable Wi-Fi component.

Proactive Monitoring: Monitor for Wi-Fi driver crashes or system instability in environments with many wireless networks. Wireless Intrusion Detection Systems (WIDS) may be able to detect malformed beacon frames.

Compensating Controls: If patching is not immediately possible, disabling Wi-Fi on the affected devices is the only effective mitigation against a remote attacker.

Public Exploit Available: false

This vulnerability presents a critical risk, as it can be exploited remotely by an unauthenticated attacker with no user interaction required. Organizations must prioritize the deployment of vendor patches to all affected devices to prevent network-based attacks.