Vulnerabilities in 5G modems produced by Qualcomm and MediaTek have been discovered by university researchers in Singapore, leaving 714 5G phones vulnerable to what is being called a "5Ghoul attack."
There are 14 vulnerabilities in the affected systems, with 10 publicly disclosed and four undisclosed for security reasons. The assaults may cause mobile 5G services to freeze or drop temporarily on a smartphone. Phones under attack may also see a 5G signal drop to 4G.
5Ghoul Attack Necessitates Connecting Phone to Roaming 5G Base Station
According to BleepingComputer, the researchers who discovered the modem flaws and the 5Ghoul attacks, Matheus E. Garbelini, Zewen Shang, Shijie Luo, Sudipta Chattopadhyay, Sumei Sun, and Ernest Kurniawan, have set up a website in which they write that three of the ten vulnerabilities related to Qualcomm and MediaTek 5G modems are confirmed to have "high severity."
The researchers also discovered 714 5G smartphones in the market today that were/are affected by the vulnerabilities. However, the number could be higher because "firmware code is often shared across different modem versions."
According to the report, the vulnerabilities are easy for attackers to exploit over-the-air if they have a setup that pretends to be a legitimate 5G base station. To exploit the weaknesses of the affected 5G modems, the attacker does not need to know any information from the user's SIM card.
To put the assault into context, the targeted 5G handset must connect to a rogue 5G base station. The attacker then executes the exploit code. The attacker must be within radio range of the targeted phone for it to connect to the bogus 5G base station.
The attack can proceed despite the lack of information from the target's SIM card. In addition, attackers "can freely manipulate downlink messages to the target...opening a window of opportunities to launch attacks at any step of the 5G NR procedures."
List of Smartphones That Have Been or Could Be Attacked by 5Ghoul
Qualcomm and MediaTek disclosed the flaws in their separate December security bulletins. The required fixes were given to device suppliers two months ago, but it should be highlighted that Android fragmentation may still take some time for all of the impacted Android phones to be fixed. Some older phones will never be patched since they will cease to be supported before the update is published.
The list of smartphones affected is extensive, per Phone Arena. If your phone is on the list, ensure that you have updated all available updates:
- Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
- Apple iPhone 12
- Apple iPhone 12 Pro
- Apple iPhone 12 mini
- Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
- Apple iPhone 14 Plus
- Apple iPhone 13
- Apple iPhone 13 Pro
- Apple iPhone 14
- Apple iPhone 13 Mini
- Apple iPhone 13 mini
- Apple iPhone SE 2022
- Asus ROG Phone 7
- Asus Zenfone 10
- Asus ROG Phone 7 Pro
- Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
- Asus ROG Phone 6
- Asus ROG Phone 6 Batman Edition
- Asus Zenfone 9
- Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro
- Asus ZenFone 6
- Asus ZenFone 6z
- Asus ROG Phone 2
- Asus ZenFone 7
- Asus ROG Phone 3 Strix Edition
- Asus ROG Phone 3
- Asus ZenFone 7 Pro
- Asus Zenfone 8 Flip
- Asus Zenfone 8
- Asus ROG Phone 5
- Asus Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders
- Asus 8z
- Asus ROG Phone 5S
- Asus ROG Phone 5S Pro
- Black Shark 5 Pro
- Black Shark 5
- Black Shark 4
- Black Shark 4S
- Black Shark 4 Pro
- Black Shark 5 RS
- Black Shark 5 RS
- Black Shark 4S Pro
- BlackShark 3
- BlackShark 3 Pro
- BlackShark 3S
- Cat S53
- Coolpad Cool 20 Pro
- Doogee V30
- Fairphone 4
- Fairphone 5
- Gigaset GX6
- Gigaset GX6 Pro
- Google Pixel 5
- Google Pixel 5a 5G
- Google Pixel 4a 5G
- Google Pixel 4 XL
- Google Pixel 4
- Honor Magic4 Pro
- Honor Magic4
- Honor Magic4 Pro Ultimate
- Honor Magic V
- Honor Magic5 Pro
- Honor 100 Pro
- Honor Magic5 Ultimate
- Honor Magic5
- Honor Magic V2
- Honor 90 Pro
- Honor 80 GT
- Honor 80 Pro
- Honor Magic Vs2
- Honor Magic Vs
- Honor 80 Pro Flat
- Honor 70 Lite
- Honor Play 6C
- Honor Play 40 5G
- Honor Magic Vs Ultimate
- Phone Models
- Honor Play 40S
- Honor X8 5g
- Honor X6 5G
- Honor Play 30M 5G
- Honor Play 30
- Honor Magic5 Lite 5G
- Honor Magic4 Lite 5G
- Honor X40
- Honor X30
- Honor X9a
- Honor X9 5G
- Honor X8a 5G
- Honor 70
- Honor 50
- Honor 60
- Honor 60 Pro
- Honor V Purse
- Honor 50 Pro
- Honor Magic 3
- Honor X40 GT
- Honor Magic 3 Pro
- Honor Magic 3 Pro+
- Honor X40 GT Racing
- Honor 60 SE
- Honor 80 SE
- Honor X30 Max
- Honor 50 SE
- Honor X20
- Honor Play 5 Youth
- HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G
- HTC Desire 22 Pro
- HTC U20 5G
- Huawei Mate 50 Pro
- Huawei P60 Pro
- Huawei Mate 50
- Huawei Mate 50 RS Porsche Design
- Huawei P60
- Huawei P60 Art
- Huawei Mate X3
- Huawei Maimang 10 SE 5G
- Huawei Hi nova 9z
- Huawei Hi nova 9 SE
- Huawei Mate 50E
- Huawei Mate 50e
- Huawei nova 9
- Huawei P50E
- Huawei nova 11 Ultra
- Huawei nova 11
- Huawei nova 11 Pro
- Huawei nova 10 Pro
- Huawei nova 10
- Huawei Pocket S
- Huawei nova 9 Pro
- Huawei P50 Pro
- Huawei P50 Pocket
- Huawei Mate Xs 2
- Huawei P50
- Infinix Zero 5G
- Legion Phone Duel 2
- Leica Leitz Phone 2
- Leica Leitz 1
- Lenovo Legion Y90
- Lenovo Legion Y70
- Lenovo Z6 Pro
- Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G
- Lenovo Z5 Pro GT
- Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
- Lenovo Legion Pro
- Lenovo Legion 2 Pro
- LG K92 5G
- LG Velvet 5G
- LG Wing
- LG Velvet
- LG Q92
- LG V50 ThinQ 5G
- LG G8 ThinQ
- LG G8s ThinQ
- LG G8X ThinQ
- LG V50s ThinQ
- LG V60 ThinQ
- Meizu 20 Pro
- Meizu 20
- Meizu 20 Infinity
- Meizu 20 Classic
- Meizu 16S
- Meizu 16T
- Meizu 16S Pro
- Meizu 17 Pro
- Meizu 17
- Meizu 18X
- Meizu 18 Pro
- Meizu 18
- Meizu 18s Pro
- Meizu 18s
- Microsoft Surface Duo
- Microsoft Surface Duo 2
- Motorola Edge+ 2022
- Motorola Edge 30 Pro
- Motorola Edge X30
- Motorola Edge+
- Motorola Edge+ (2023)
- Motorola X40
- Motorola Edge 40 Pro
- Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
- Motorola X30 Pro
- Motorola ThinkPhone
- Motorola Razr 2022
- Motorola Razr+
- Motorola Razr 40 Ultra
- Motorola Moto G51 5G
- Motorola Moto G62 5G
- Motorola Moto G53
- Motorola Moto G50
- Motorola Moto G (2023)
- Motorola Edge 30 Neo
- Motorola Moto G82
- Motorola Moto G84
- Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2022)
- Motorola Moto G71S
- Motorola Moto G71 5G
- Motorola Moto G62 5G
- Motorola Moto G 5G
- Motorola Moto One 5G Ace
- Motorola one 5G UW ace
- Motorola Edge
- Motorola Moto G 5G Plus
- Motorola Razr 5G
- Motorola Moto One 5G
- Motorola Edge 30
- Motorola Moto Edge 20
- Motorola Edge 2021
- Motorola Edge Lite Luxury Edition
- Motorola Edge+
- Motorola Moto Edge 20 Pro
- Motorola Moto G100
- Motorola Edge S Pro
- Motorola Edge S
- Motorola Edge 30 Fusion
- Motorola Moto G200 5G
- Motorola Moto S30 Pro
- Motorola Moto Edge S30
- NIO Phone
- Nokia X20
- Nokia G42
- Nokia XR20
- Nokia G50
- Nokia X10
- Nokia X100
- Nokia G310
- Nokia G300
- Nokia X30 5G
- Nokia G60 5G
- Nokia XR21
- Nokia 8.3 5G
- Nokia 8 V 5G UW
- Nothing Phone (2)
- Nothing Phone (1)
- Nubia RedMagic 7
- Nubia RedMagic 7 Pro
- Nubia Z40 Pro
- Nubia Red Magic 7 Pro
- Nubia Red Magic 7
- Nubia Z50s Pro
- Nubia Red Magic 8 Pro
- Nubia Red Magic 8S Pro
- Nubia Z50
- Nubia Red Magic 8S Pro+
- Nubia Red Magic 8 Pro+
- Nubia Z50 Ultra
- Nubia Red Magic 7S Pro
- Nubia Z40S Pro
- Nubia Red Magic 7S
- Nubia Red Magic 5G Lite
- Nubia Play 5G
- Nubia Red Magic 3
- Nubia X 5G
- Nubia Red Magic 3S
- Nubia Z20
- nubia Z20
- Nubia Red Magic 5S
- Nubia Red Magic 5G
- Nubia Red Magic 5S
- Nubia Red Magic 6 Pro
- Nubia Red Magic 6R
- Nubia Red Magic 6
- Nubia Z30 Pro
- Nubia Red Magic 6S Pro
- OnePlus 10 Pro
- OnePlus 11
- OnePlus Ace 2 Pro
- OnePlus Open
- OnePlus 10T
- OnePlus Ace Pro
- OnePlus 11R
- OnePlus Ace 2
- OnePlus Nord N200 5G
- Oneplus Nord N10 5G
- OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
- OnePlus Nord N30 5G
- OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
- Oneplus Nord N20 5G
- OnePlus Nord CE 5G
- Oneplus Nord
- OnePlus 7 Pro
- OnePlus 7
- OnePlus 7T Pro
- OnePlus 7T
- OnePlus 8 Pro
- OnePlus 8T
- OnePlus 8
- OnePlus 8T+
- OnePlus 8T Cyberpunk 2077
- OnePlus 9R
- OnePlus 9 Pro
- OnePlus 9
- OnePlus 9RT
- OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G
- OnePlus Nord 2
- Oppo Find X5 Pro
- Oppo Find X6 Pro
- Oppo Find N3
- Oppo Reno9 Pro+
- Oppo Reno10 Pro +
- Oppo Reno11 Pro
- Oppo Find N2
- Oppo A54 5G
- Oppo A74 5G
- Oppo A93 5G
- Oppo A55s 5G
- Oppo K10x
- Oppo A1 Pro
- Oppo A98 5G
- Oppo Reno8 Lite 5G
- Oppo Reno7 Lite 5G
- Oppo K11x
- Oppo A96 5G
- Oppo F21 Pro 5G
- Oppo Reno 8T 5G
- Oppo F23 5G
- Oppo Reno7 Z 5G
- Oppo Reno7 A
- Oppo Reno8 Z
- Oppo F21s Pro 5G
- Oppo A1 5G
- Oppo Reno5 K 5G
- Oppo Reno4 Pro 5G
- Oppo Find X2 Neo
- Oppo Reno4 5G
- Oppo Find X3 Lite
- Oppo Find X2 Lite
- Oppo Reno3 Pro
- Oppo Reno5 5G
- Oppo Reno 3 Pro
- Oppo Reno5 A
- Oppo Reno 3 Vitality Edition
- Oppo K7 5G
- Oppo Reno10 Pro
- Oppo Reno10 China
- Oppo Reno9
- Oppo Reno7
- Oppo K9s
- Oppo K10 Vitality Edition
- Oppo Reno 10x Zoom
- Oppo Reno 10x Zoom 5G
- Oppo Reno 2 5G
- Oppo Reno Ace
- Oppo Find X2 Pro
- Oppo Find X3 Neo
- Oppo Find X2
- Oppo Reno5 Pro+
- Oppo Reno Ace 2
- Oppo Reno 6 Pro
- Oppo Find X3
- Oppo Reno 6 Pro+
- Oppo Find X5
- Oppo Find X3 Pro
- Oppo K10 Pro
- Oppo Find N
- Oppo Reno7 5G
- Oppo Reno 6
- Oppo Find X5 Lite
- Oppo K9x
- Oppo Reno7 SE
- Oppo Reno 6 Pro
- Oppo Reno7 Pro
- Oppo K9 Pro
- POCO M6 Pro 5G
- POCO F4 GT
- Poco F5 Pro
- POCO X4 Pro 5G
- Poco X5 5G
- Poco X5 Pro 5G
- POCO X3 Pro
- POCO F2 Pro
- POCO F4 5G
- POCO F3
- POCO F3 GT
- realme GT 2 Pro
- realme GT5
- realme GT Neo 6
- realme GT3
- realme GT 2 Master Explorer Edition
- realme GT Neo 5
- realme 10 Pro
- realme 9 Pro
- realme 9 5G
- realme Q5
- realme 9 Pro 5G
- realme V25
- realme Q3 5G
- realme X50 5G
- realme X50 5G Master Edition
- realme X50m
- realme X50t
- realme GT Master Edition
- realme Q3s
- realme 9 5G Speed Edition
- realme Q3t
- realme X3 SuperZoom
- realme X2 Pro
- realme X3
- realme X50 Pro
- realme X50 Pro Player
- realme GT Neo 3T
- realme GT Neo 2
- realme GT Master Explore Edition
- realme Q5 Pro
- realme GT 2
- realme GT 5G
- realme GT
- realme X7 Max
- realme GT Neo Flash
- realme GT Neo 2T
- realme GT Neo
- Redmi Note 11 Pro + 5G
- Redmi K20 Pro
- Redmi K20 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S22+
- Samsung Galaxy S22
- Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S23+
- Samsung Galaxy S23
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
- Samsung Galaxy A23 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
- Samsung Galaxy M23 5G
- Samsung Galaxy M42 5G
- Samsung Galaxy F23 5G
- Samsung Galaxy F52 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A71 5G
- Samsung Galaxy M52 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A73 5G
- Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy Note10+
- Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Note10
- Samsung Galaxy S10
- Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite
- Samsung Galaxy S10e
- Samsung Galaxy A90 5G
- Samsung Galaxy W20 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Fold
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
- Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S20 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 2021
- Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy Note20
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G
- Samsung Galaxy W21 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S21+
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G
- Samsung W22 5G
- Samsung Galaxy M53 5G
- Sharp Aquos R7
- Sharp Aquos R7s
- Sharp Aquos R8 Pro
- Sharp Aquos R8
- Sharp Aquos Wish
- Sharp Aquos Sense6
- Sharp Aquos Sense7
- Sharp Aquos Sense7 Plus
- Sharp Aquos Sense6s
- Sharp Aquos Zero6
- Sharp Aquos Zero2
- Sharp Aquos R3
- Sharp Aquos R5G
- Sharp Aquos R6
- Smartisan Nut Pro 3
- Smartisan Nut R2
- Sony Xperia 5 IV
- Sony Xperia 1 IV
- Sony Xperia 1 V
- Sony Xperia 5 V
- Sony Xperia Ace III
- Sony Xperia 10 III
- Sony Xperia 10 V
- Sony Xperia 10 IV
- Sony Xperia 5
- Sony Xperia 1
- Sony Xperia 1 Professional Edition
- Sony Xperia 1 II
- Sony Xperia 5 II
- Sony Xperia Pro
- Sony Xperia 1 III
- Sony Xperia 5 III
- Sony Xperia PRO-I
- TCL 30 V 5G
- TCL 20 5G
- TCL 20 Pro 5G
- TCL 10 5G
- Tecno Pova 5G
- Ulefone Armor 23 Ultra
- Ulefone Armor 18
- Ulefone Armor 18T
- UMIDIGI A13 Pro Max 5G
- UMIDIGI Bison GT2 Pro 5G
- UMIDIGI Bison GT2 5G
- vivo iQOO Z6 Lite
- vivo Y200 5G
- vivo iQOO 9 Pro
- vivo X Note
- vivo X80 Pro
- vivo iQOO 9
- vivo X Fold
- vivo iQOO Neo 6
- vivo iQOO 11S
- Vivo X90 Pro+
- vivo iQOO 11
- vivo iQOO 11 Pro
- vivo X Fold2
- Vivo iQOO Neo7 Pro
- vivo iQOO 10 Pro
- vivo iQOO Neo 8
- vivo iQOO 10
- vivo X Flip
- vivo X Fold+
- vivo iQOO 9T
- Vivo iQOO Neo7 Racing Edition
- vivo Y53s 5G
- vivo Y52s t1
- vivo Y72 5G India
- vivo iQOO U3x 5G
- vivo Y31s
- vivo iQOO Z7s
- vivo V29 Lite
- vivo T1 5G
- vivo T1
- vivo V29e 5G
- vivo iQOO Z7x
- vivo V100
- Vivo Y100A
- Vivo T2 5G
- Vivo Y78+ 5G
- vivo iQOO Z6
- vivo iQOO U5
- vivo X51 5G
- vivo X50 Pro
- vivo X50
- vivo V20 Pro
- vivo S7
- vivo Z6
- vivo X50e
- vivo iQOO Z1x
- Vivo S17
- Vivo V29 5G
- Vivo V29
- vivo iQOO Z5
- vivo T1 Pro 5G
- vivo iQOO Z6 CN
- vivo iQOO Z6 Pro
- vivo iQOO
- vivo iQoo
- vivo iQOO Neo 855
- vivo Nex 3
- vivo iQOO Pro
- vivo iQOO Pro 5G
- vivo iQOO Neo 855 Plus
- vivo iQOO 5 Pro
- vivo X50 Pro+
- vivo iQOO 5
- vivo iQOO 3
- vivo NEX 3s 5G
- vivo iQOO Neo3
- vivo X60 Pro
- Vivo S16
- vivo X60
- vivo S15
- vivo iQOO Neo5
- vivo iQOO Neo 6
- vivo iQOO 7 India
- vivo iQOO Neo6 SE
- vivo T2
- vivo iQOO Neo5 SE
- vivo iQOO Neo5 Lite
- vivo X60 Pro+
- vivo X60T Pro+
- vivo iQOO 7
- vivo iQOO 8
- vivo iQOO 9 SE
- vivo iQOO 7 Legend
- vivo iQOO Neo5S
- vivo X70 Pro+
- vivo iQOO 8 Pro
- vivo iQOO 9 IN
- vivo X80 Lite
- Vivo Y100
- vivo T1x
- vivo V25
- vivo S10e
- vivo iQOO Z5x
- vivo X70
- vivo X70 Pro
- vivo V23 Pro
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 5G
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 12
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 12R Pro
- Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G
- Xiaomi Redmi 12R
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 12R
- Xiaomi 12
- Xiaomi 12 Pro
- Xiaomi Redmi K50 Gaming Edition
- Xiaomi 13 Ultra
- Xiaomi 13
- Xiaomi 13 Pro
- Xiaomi Redmi K70
- Xiaomi Redmi K60 Pro
- Xiaomi 13 Limited Edition
- Xiaomi Mix Fold 3
- Xiaomi 12T Pro
- Xiaomi 12S Pro
- Xiaomi 12S Ultra
- Xiaomi Redmi K60
- Xiaomi 12S
- Xiaomi Redmi K50 Extreme Edition
- Xiaomi Mix Fold 2
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 JE
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 10T
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro + 5G
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 11E Pro
- Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G
- Xiaomi Mi 10i
- Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G
- Xiaomi Mi 10 Youth Edition
- Xiaomi Redmi K30 5G
- Xiaomi Redmi K30i 5G
- Xiaomi 12 Lite
- Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro Speed Edition
- Xiaomi Civi 1S
- Xiaomi Civi
- Xiaomi 11 Youth Vitality Edition
- Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
- Xiaomi Mi 11 Youth
- Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro
- Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G
- Xiaomi Mi 9
- Xiaomi Black Shark 2
- Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G
- Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha
- Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro
- Xiaomi Mi 10
- Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro
- Xiaomi Mi 10T
- Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
- Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra
- Xiaomi Redmi K30 Pro Zoom
- Xiaomi Redmi K30 Pro
- Xiaomi Redmi K30s Ultra
- Xiaomi 12X
- Xiaomi Redmi K40S
- Xiaomi Mi 10S
- Xiaomi Redmi K40
- Xiaomi Mi 11X
- Xiaomi Mi 11
- Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
- Xiaomi MI 11i
- Xiaomi 11T Pro
- Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro
- Xiaomi Mix Fold
- Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro+
- Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro
- Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro
- Xiaomi Mix 4
- Xiaomi 11T
- Xiaomi Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition
- ZTE Axon 40 Ultra
- ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition
- ZTE Axon 41 Ultra 5G Extreme Edition
- ZTE Axon 41 Ultra 5G
- ZTE Axon 50 Ultra
- ZTE Axon 11 5G
- ZTE Axon 20 5G
- ZTE Axon 20 5G Extreme Edition
- ZTE a1
- ZTE Blade 20 Pro
- ZTE Blade X1 5G
- ZTE Axon 10 Pro
- ZTE Axon 10s Pro
- ZTE Axon 40 Pro
- ZTE Axon 30 5G
- ZTE Axon 30 5G Ultimate Edition
- ZTE Axon 30S
- ZTE Axon 41 5G
- ZTE Axon 40
- ZTE Axon 30 Ultra
- ZTE Axon 30 Ultra Aerospace Edition
- ZTE Axon 31 Ultra 5G
- ZTE Axon 30 Pro 5G
- ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G
Photo: Mark Chan/Unsplash