WPA/WPA2 Vulnerability in hostapd and wpa_supplicant
Summary
CVE-2017-13077: Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA and WPA2) allows reinstallation of the Pairwise Transient Key (PTK) Temporal Key (TK) during the four-way handshake, allowing an attacker within radio range to replay, decrypt, or spoof frames... Affects hostapd versions < 2.6-r2. Fixed in 2.6-r2. How to fix ↓
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Background
hostapd and wpa_supplicant are open-source software packages used for managing Wi-Fi connections on Alpine Linux. They provide functionality for establishing secure connections using Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA and WPA2) protocols. However, a vulnerability has been discovered in these packages that allows an attacker within radio range to exploit weaknesses in the four-way handshake process, leading to the reinstallation of the Pairwise Transient Key (PTK) Temporal Key (TK). This can enable the attacker to replay, decrypt, or spoof frames, compromising the security of the Wi-Fi connection.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2017-13077, arises due to the insecure handling of the PTK TK during the four-way handshake in WPA/WPA2. An attacker within range can intercept and manipulate the handshake process, causing the PTK TK to be reinstalled. This allows the attacker to decrypt and tamper with network traffic, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 6.8, indicating a moderate severity level.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
2.6-r2
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apk add --upgrade hostapdTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no specific workaround mentioned for this vulnerability. However, updating the affected packages to the recommended versions is the best course of action to address the issue.
Conclusion
The WPA/WPA2 vulnerability in hostapd and wpa_supplicant can compromise the security of Wi-Fi connections, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive information. To mitigate this vulnerability, it is crucial to update the affected packages to the recommended versions. For further support and assistance in vulnerability remediation, you can contact DevNack.com.
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FAQ
The vulnerability allows an attacker within radio range to exploit weaknesses in the four-way handshake process, compromising the security of Wi-Fi connections. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information transmitted over the compromised Wi-Fi network.
You can use the Vulert Playground (https://vulert.com/scanner) to check if your Alpine Linux system is affected by this vulnerability. Simply upload your package manifest file (e.g., package-lock.json) to the playground, and it will analyze and alert you if any open-source vulnerabilities, including this one, are detected.
While there are no known public exploits for this vulnerability, it is important to promptly update the affected packages to mitigate the risk of potential exploitation.
After updating the hostapd and wpa_supplicant packages, it is recommended to restart the affected services to ensure the changes take effect.
You can find more information about this vulnerability, including technical details and the CVE entry, in the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) at https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-13077.
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