# CVE-2023-33020: Improper Authorization in WLAN Host

> An attacker can cause a transient denial of service in the WLAN Host by sending an invalid channel during a CSA IE.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 5 Sep 2023
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pw8j-xxwv-qpr8

## What is CVE-2023-33020?

CVE-2023-33020 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Qualcomm Apq8017 Firmware, published on 5 Sep 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Transient DOS in WLAN Host when an invalid channel (like channel out of range) is received in STA during CSA IE.

Weakness: CWE-285 (Improper Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-33020?

It affects 82 products.


Products: Qualcomm 205 Firmware, Qualcomm 215 Firmware, Qualcomm 9206 Lte Firmware, Qualcomm Apq8017 Firmware, Qualcomm Apq8052 Firmware, Qualcomm Apq8056 Firmware, Qualcomm Apq8076 Firmware, Qualcomm Ar8031 Firmware, Qualcomm C-V2x 9150 Firmware, Qualcomm Csra6620 Firmware, Qualcomm Csra6640 Firmware, Qualcomm Fastconnect 6200 Firmware, Qualcomm Home Hub 100 Firmware, Qualcomm Mdm9250 Firmware, Qualcomm Mdm9628 Firmware, Qualcomm Mdm9650 Firmware, Qualcomm Msm8108 Firmware, Qualcomm Msm8209 Firmware, Qualcomm Msm8608 Firmware, Qualcomm Msm8909w Firmware and 62 more.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-33020?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-33020 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-33020 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-33020 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Qualcomm Apq8017 Firmware

- [CVE-2023-22667](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-22667/): Integer Overflow or Wraparound in Audio (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2024-33042](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-33042/): Buffer Copy Without Checking Size of Input (`Classic Buffer Overflow`) in FM Host (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2023-22387](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-22387/): Use of Out-of-range Pointer Offset in Qualcomm IPC (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2024-53027](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-53027/): Buffer Copy Without Checking Size of Input in WLAN Host (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2023-33019](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-33019/): Improper Authorization in WLAN Host (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-33020 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-33020 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Qualcomm Apq8017 Firmware, published on 5 Sep 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-33020 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Qualcomm Apq8017 Firmware. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-33020/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-33020/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-33020
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-33020
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-33020

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-33020/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.