27/69 Thursday, January 15, 2026
Researchers from cybersecurity firm Black Duck have identified a vulnerability in Broadcom Wi-Fi chipsets, which are widely used in both enterprise-grade and consumer routers. The issue was initially discovered during testing of ASUS routers and was later confirmed in coordination with manufacturers to stem from software flaws within the Broadcom chipset itself. The vulnerability allows an attacker within wireless range to launch an attack without authentication by sending a single specially crafted Wi-Fi frame, causing the 5 GHz network to stop functioning and immediately disconnect all connected clients.
The attack is able to bypass standard WPA2 and WPA3 security mechanisms, forcing connected devices offline and preventing them from reconnecting. An attacker can repeatedly exploit this flaw to continuously disrupt network availability, effectively creating a denial-of-service (DoS) condition. Wired Ethernet connections and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks are not affected. Broadcom has stated that patches have been provided to device manufacturers, and ASUS has already released firmware updates for affected products. However, it remains unclear which other vendors may be using the vulnerable chipset.
Cybersecurity experts warn that the impact extends beyond simple disconnections. The flaw could be leveraged in Evil Twin attacks, where attackers disable a legitimate access point and set up a rogue access point with the same SSID, tricking users into connecting. Victims could then be redirected to fake captive portals designed to steal credentials or sensitive information. Additionally, such network disruptions could significantly affect business operations—interrupting critical meetings or customer communications and damaging organizational credibility. Black Duck has not disclosed further technical details to prevent widespread exploitation of the vulnerability.
Source https://www.securityweek.com/broadcom-wi-fi-chipset-flaw-allows-hackers-to-disrupt-networks/
