CVE-2024-20076 Overview
CVE-2024-20076 is a denial of service vulnerability affecting the modem component in multiple MediaTek chipsets. The vulnerability exists due to incorrect error handling in the modem firmware, which can lead to a system crash. This flaw allows a remote attacker to cause a denial of service condition without requiring any user interaction or additional execution privileges, making it particularly dangerous for unattended devices.
Critical Impact
Remote attackers can crash affected devices without any user interaction, potentially disrupting communications for millions of devices using MediaTek modem chipsets.
Affected Products
- MediaTek LR12A modem firmware
- MediaTek MT6739, MT6761, MT6762, MT6763, MT6765, MT6767, MT6768, MT6769, MT6771 mobile processors
- MediaTek MT8666, MT8667, MT8675, MT8676, MT8678, MT8781, MT8786, MT8788 tablet/IoT processors
- MediaTek MT2731 connectivity chip
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-07-01 - CVE-2024-20076 published to NVD
- 2025-05-28 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-20076
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer), indicating a memory corruption issue in the modem's error handling routines. When the modem component encounters specific error conditions, it fails to properly validate or handle the error state, leading to an out-of-bounds memory access that crashes the system.
The flaw is particularly concerning because it can be triggered remotely over the network without requiring authentication or any form of user interaction. The affected modem component processes cellular network communications, meaning an attacker with the ability to send malformed network packets could potentially target devices across cellular infrastructure.
Root Cause
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper bounds checking within the modem's error handling code paths. When specific error conditions are encountered during network communication processing, the modem firmware fails to properly validate memory boundaries before performing operations. This leads to memory corruption that destabilizes the system, ultimately causing a crash. The vulnerability is tracked internally by MediaTek as Patch ID MOLY01297806 and Issue ID MSV-1481.
Attack Vector
The attack can be executed remotely over the network without requiring any authentication or privileges. An attacker could craft malicious network packets designed to trigger the improper error handling condition in the modem firmware. Since the vulnerability requires no user interaction, devices are susceptible even when idle or unattended. The attack results in a complete system crash, causing a denial of service condition that requires a device restart to recover from.
The network-based attack vector combined with no authentication requirements makes this vulnerability exploitable at scale, potentially affecting all devices with vulnerable MediaTek chipsets that are connected to cellular or network infrastructure.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-20076
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected device reboots or system crashes occurring without user action
- Modem-related crash logs or kernel panic messages referencing memory errors
- Repeated loss of cellular connectivity followed by system restarts
- Abnormal network traffic patterns preceding device crashes
Detection Strategies
- Monitor device logs for modem subsystem crashes or memory-related errors
- Implement network intrusion detection rules to identify anomalous cellular protocol traffic
- Track device uptime metrics to detect unusual restart patterns across device fleets
- Review crash dumps for evidence of memory corruption in modem components
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose logging for modem and baseband components where possible
- Deploy endpoint detection solutions capable of monitoring embedded system behavior
- Establish baseline device stability metrics to quickly identify denial of service patterns
- Correlate network traffic analysis with device crash events to identify attack sources
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-20076
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the latest firmware updates from device manufacturers that incorporate MediaTek's patch
- Monitor device fleets for signs of exploitation such as unexpected reboots
- Consider network-level controls to limit exposure of vulnerable devices where feasible
- Review and update incident response procedures for denial of service scenarios
Patch Information
MediaTek has released a security patch addressing this vulnerability as documented in the MediaTek Security Bulletin July 2024. The patch is identified as MOLY01297806. Device manufacturers using affected MediaTek chipsets should integrate this patch into their firmware updates. End users should check with their device manufacturer for available security updates that address this vulnerability.
Workarounds
- No direct workarounds are available for this firmware-level vulnerability
- Limit network exposure of affected devices where possible until patches are applied
- Implement network segmentation to isolate vulnerable IoT and tablet devices
- Prioritize patching for devices with critical functions or high availability requirements
# Verify device firmware version (Android example)
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch
# Check for modem firmware version
adb shell getprop gsm.version.baseband
# Ensure security patch level is July 2024 or later
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
