CVE-2013-2595 in Android-msm
Summary
by MITRE
The device-initialization functionality in the MSM camera driver for the Linux kernel 2.6.x and 3.x, as used in Qualcomm Innovation Center (QuIC) Android contributions for MSM devices and other products, enables MSM_CAM_IOCTL_SET_MEM_MAP_INFO ioctl calls for an unrestricted mmap interface, which allows attackers to gain privileges via a crafted application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-2595 resides within the MSM camera driver implementation in Linux kernel versions 2.6.x and 3.x, specifically affecting devices utilizing Qualcomm Innovation Center's Android contributions for MSM (Mobile Station Modem) platforms. This flaw represents a critical privilege escalation vulnerability that exploits the device-initialization functionality of the camera driver subsystem. The vulnerability manifests through the MSM_CAM_IOCTL_SET_MEM_MAP_INFO ioctl call, which provides an unrestricted memory mapping interface that can be manipulated by malicious applications to achieve elevated privileges.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper validation of ioctl parameters within the MSM camera driver's memory mapping functionality. When an application invokes the MSM_CAM_IOCTL_SET_MEM_MAP_INFO ioctl, the driver fails to properly restrict or validate the memory mapping operations, allowing unauthorized memory regions to be mapped into the kernel space. This unrestricted mmap interface creates an attack vector where malicious applications can manipulate kernel memory directly, bypassing normal security boundaries and privilege checks that should normally prevent user-space applications from executing kernel-level operations. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the kernel level, where any successful exploitation results in complete system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching, as it enables attackers to escalate privileges from user-level applications to kernel-level privileges without requiring physical access or special exploitation conditions. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain complete control over the device, including the ability to read or modify any memory location, execute arbitrary code in kernel space, and potentially access sensitive data such as user credentials, encryption keys, or other protected information. This privilege escalation capability makes the vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to compromise mobile devices, as it provides the foundation for persistent backdoors, data exfiltration, or complete device takeover. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Qualcomm MSM-based Android devices, making it a significant concern for device manufacturers and end users.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve multiple layers of defense including immediate patching of affected kernel versions, implementation of kernel security modules such as kernel address space layout randomization (KASLR) and stack canaries, and enforcement of strict ioctl parameter validation. System administrators should ensure that all affected devices receive timely security updates from manufacturers and that kernel configurations disable unnecessary ioctl interfaces. Additionally, mobile device manufacturers should implement proper input validation and access control mechanisms within their camera driver implementations, following security best practices such as those outlined in the CWE-122 category for buffer overflow vulnerabilities and the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure kernel driver development practices and the necessity of rigorous security testing for device driver components that handle privileged operations.