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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [TECHNOLOGY]

3 clusters · 15 sources · 4 days · First seen · Last updated

Broadcom router security vulnerabilities

Overview

Security researcher Quentin Kaiser has identified a critical vulnerability, dubbed ‘WPSplinter’, affecting millions of Wi-Fi routers worldwide. The flaw resides in legacy Broadcom firmware code responsible for handling Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS). By sending specially crafted messages, an attacker within radio range can trigger a buffer overflow to extract Wi-Fi keys from memory or execute remote shell commands without a password.

The vulnerability stems from a memory error in a legacy component that has existed since at least 2010. While Broadcom released a partial fix in 2018 and later recommended transitioning to the ‘hostapd’ open-source solution, many manufacturers continue to use the vulnerable code, creating a significant gap in the software supply chain.

The impact is global, affecting hardware from manufacturers including Cisco, TP-Link, Netgear, Sagemcom, Nokia, ZTE, and Zyxel. In Belgium, an estimated 1.5 million devices are affected, including gateways from providers such as Proximus, Orange, and VOO. In Germany, models from Deutsche Telekom, such as the Speedport W 723V and W 724V, have been identified as potentially vulnerable. Additionally, the Spanish National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE) has coordinated the disclosure of multiple vulnerabilities affecting 4G routers used by Movistar and Orange, specifically impacting models from Askey, Comtrend, and MitraStar.

Recent warnings emphasize that the ‘WPSplinter’ flaw has persisted for 16 years. Researchers note that for many users, the issue remains unresolved despite the 2018 partial patch, and disabling WPS may not mitigate the risk. Affected manufacturers may also include Asus and Linksys.

Entities

Broadcom · Cisco · TP-Link · Quentin Kaiser · PHP

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. [TECHNOLOGY] 4 sources
    Security researchers warn of critical vulnerabilities in Broadcom Wi-Fi software and PHP

    Critical security flaws have been identified in Broadcom’s Wi-Fi software and the PHP programming language, risking remote device takeover and server data breaches.

  2. [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    Movistar and Orange routers found to have serious security vulnerabilities

    Critical security flaws in Broadcom components have exposed Movistar and Orange routers to unauthorized code execution by attackers within Wi-Fi range, according to INCIBE and researchers.

  3. [TECHNOLOGY] 9 sources
    Broadcom Wi-Fi vulnerability ‘WPSplinter’ exposes millions of routers

    A critical Broadcom Wi-Fi flaw named ‘WPSplinter’ allows attackers within range to hijack millions of routers and steal Wi-Fi keys without a password.

Sources

023.hr · bild.de · bug.hr · elgrupoinformatico.com · giga.de · infototal.es · inside-digital.de · itnerd.blog · mobilebulgaria.com · pcekspert.com · portalanalitika.me · sector.sk · tamindir.com · teknoblog.com · world-today-journal.com

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history