CVE-2024-33069: Qualcomm Wsa8835 Firmware DoS Vulnerability

CVE-2024-33069 Overview

CVE-2024-33069 is a transient denial-of-service vulnerability affecting Qualcomm wireless connectivity firmware across Snapdragon, FastConnect, and WCN/WSA product families. The flaw triggers when the host transmits a Wi-Fi management frame and receives an unsuccessful error status in response. Improper handling of this error condition, classified under [CWE-416] (Use After Free), can disrupt the wireless subsystem and cause service interruption. The vulnerability is network-adjacent and requires no authentication or user interaction. Qualcomm disclosed the issue in its October 2024 security bulletin alongside fixes for multiple affected components.

Critical Impact
A remote attacker on the wireless network can induce repeated management frame errors that disrupt Wi-Fi connectivity on devices using vulnerable Qualcomm chipsets.

Affected Products

Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, 865+, 870 5G Mobile Platforms and Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF System
Qualcomm FastConnect 6800, 6900, and 7800 connectivity subsystems
Qualcomm QCA, WCN, WSA, WCD, QCC, SA, and SW series firmware (including QCA6391, QCA6574, WSA8835, WCN3988, SA8295P, SW5100)

Discovery Timeline

2024-10-07 - CVE-2024-33069 published to NVD
2024-10-16 - Last updated in NVD database
October 2024 - Qualcomm releases security bulletin with patches

Technical Details for CVE-2024-33069

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the firmware path that processes the completion status of Wi-Fi management frames transmitted by the host. Management frames include association, authentication, deauthentication, and probe request or response messages exchanged between Wi-Fi clients and access points. When the host submits such a frame and the lower layer reports a transmission failure, the firmware fails to safely handle the resulting error state. The condition is tracked as [CWE-416] (Use After Free), indicating that memory or object references associated with the failed transmission are accessed after being released.

Exploitation produces a transient denial of service, disrupting the wireless stack until it recovers or the device is reset. The flaw spans more than 40 chipset families, which broadens its reach across mobile handsets, automotive platforms, Wi-Fi access points, and embedded IoT systems built on Qualcomm silicon.

Root Cause

The firmware does not correctly synchronize cleanup of management frame transmission context with the asynchronous error notification path. When an error status callback fires for a frame whose state has already been torn down or partially released, the code dereferences stale memory, leading to instability in the Wi-Fi subsystem.

Attack Vector

An adversary within radio range can manipulate wireless conditions to force management frame transmissions from the host to fail. Techniques include selective frame jamming, deauthentication storms against the target, or operating a rogue access point that drops or rejects management exchanges. Repeated failure events trigger the error-handling path that contains the unsafe memory access. No credentials, prior network association, or user interaction are required.

No public proof-of-concept code or exploit has been released for CVE-2024-33069, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. The EPSS probability stands at 0.169%.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-33069

Indicators of Compromise

Repeated Wi-Fi disconnects, association failures, or kernel log entries referencing management frame transmission errors on devices with affected Qualcomm firmware.
Crash dumps or watchdog resets originating from the WLAN host driver or Qualcomm WLAN firmware subsystem.
Sudden spikes in 802.11 deauthentication or disassociation frames in nearby radio space, suggesting a frame-flooding attempt.

Detection Strategies

Monitor mobile device management (MDM) telemetry for elevated Wi-Fi subsystem error rates and unplanned WLAN restarts on Snapdragon and FastConnect devices.
Inspect wireless intrusion detection system (WIDS) logs for patterns of management frame abuse, such as bursts of deauthentication or rogue AP activity targeting specific clients.
Correlate radio-layer anomalies with endpoint telemetry to distinguish environmental Wi-Fi instability from targeted abuse.

Monitoring Recommendations

Deploy WIDS or wireless analyzers in sensitive locations to baseline normal management frame volume and flag deviations.
Track firmware versions across the device fleet against the Qualcomm October 2024 bulletin to identify unpatched chipsets.
Enable verbose WLAN driver logging on representative devices to surface management frame error trends before they escalate to mass outages.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-33069

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the firmware updates referenced in the Qualcomm Security Bulletin October 2024 through the device OEM or platform vendor.
Inventory all endpoints, automotive units, and embedded devices using affected Snapdragon, FastConnect, QCA, WCN, WSA, and WCD components.
Prioritize patching for mobile devices and access points operating in untrusted radio environments such as public venues and shared workspaces.

Patch Information

Qualcomm published fixes in the October 2024 security bulletin. Downstream OEMs must integrate the updated firmware into their device images and release it through standard update channels. Review the Qualcomm Security Bulletin October 2024 for the complete list of affected components and patch references.

Workarounds

Where patches are not yet available, restrict Wi-Fi use on vulnerable devices to trusted, controlled networks with management frame protection (802.11w) enforced.
Enable Protected Management Frames (PMF) on enterprise access points to reduce exposure to deauthentication and disassociation abuse that triggers the error path.
Segment IoT and automotive devices running affected Qualcomm firmware onto isolated wireless networks with monitoring in place until firmware updates are deployed.

bash

# Example: enforce 802.11w Protected Management Frames on hostapd-based APs
ieee80211w=2
wpa_key_mgmt=WPA-PSK-SHA256