CVE-2022-37660: hostapd — Fix

Description

In hostapd 2.10 and earlier, the PKEX code remains active even after a successful PKEX association. An attacker that successfully bootstrapped public keys with another entity using PKEX in the past, will be able to subvert a future bootstrapping by passively observing public keys, re-using the encrypting element Qi and subtracting it from the captured message M (X = M - Qi). This will result in the public ephemeral key X; the only element required to subvert the PKEX association.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

6.5

MEDIUM

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-323 CWE-323

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
w1.fi	hostapd	< 2.10

References

Advisories & Patches

https://w1.fi/cgit/hostap/commit/?id=15af83cf1846870873a011ed4d714732f01cd2e4

Other References

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10207-025-00988-3 https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/04/msg00019.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-37660? +

In hostapd 2.10 and earlier, the PKEX code remains active even after a successful PKEX association. An attacker that successfully bootstrapped public keys with another entity using PKEX in the past, will be able to subvert a future bootstrapping by passively observing public keys, re-using the encrypting element Qi and subtracting it from the captured message M (X = M - Qi). This will result in the public ephemeral key X; the only element required to subvert the PKEX association. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.5 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2022-37660? +

CVE-2022-37660 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 6.5 out of 10, rated MEDIUM. This is a medium-severity vulnerability that should be remediated as part of regular maintenance.

What products are affected by CVE-2022-37660? +

CVE-2022-37660 affects products from w1.fi, specifically: hostapd. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2022-37660? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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CVE-2022-37660