CVE-2014-10053 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Automobile, Snapdragon Mobile, and Snapdragon Wear MDM9206, MDM9650, MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 430, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 450, SD 617, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, SD 845, and SD 850, data access is not properly validated in the Widevine secure application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-10053 represents a critical security flaw in Android devices that were shipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets prior to the 2018-04-05 security patch level. This weakness specifically affects a wide range of Qualcomm automotive, mobile, and wearable platforms including the MDM9206, MDM9650, MSM8909W, and numerous SD series processors spanning from the SD 200 to SD 850 families. The flaw resides in the Widevine secure application, which serves as a digital rights management system responsible for protecting premium content such as streaming media and premium applications across Android devices. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-20 category of "Improper Input Validation" and represents a significant gap in the security architecture that could allow unauthorized access to protected content and system resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the Widevine secure application's data access controls. When devices process encrypted content or execute protected applications, the system fails to properly verify the authenticity and integrity of data inputs before granting access to sensitive system resources. This allows attackers with appropriate privileges or those who have gained partial system access to potentially bypass the security measures that should protect premium content and system-level operations. The vulnerability particularly affects devices where the Widevine implementation is responsible for content decryption and access control, creating a pathway for unauthorized data extraction and potential system compromise. The flaw demonstrates a classic security misconfiguration where access controls are not properly enforced, creating a potential attack vector that aligns with techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation and defense evasion tactics.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple content protection breaches to potentially compromise the entire device security posture. Attackers could exploit this weakness to access premium streaming content without proper licensing, potentially enabling piracy operations at scale. More critically, the vulnerability could allow for privilege escalation attacks where malicious actors gain elevated system privileges through the compromised Widevine application. This could lead to complete device compromise, data exfiltration, and the installation of persistent malware. The widespread deployment of affected Snapdragon chipsets across automotive systems, mobile devices, and wearable technology amplifies the potential impact, as these platforms often contain sensitive data and critical system functions. Organizations deploying affected devices may face regulatory compliance issues and increased risk of data breaches.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of the security patches released by Qualcomm and Android developers following the 2018-04-05 patch level. System administrators should prioritize updating all affected devices to ensure proper validation mechanisms are restored within the Widevine secure application. Additionally, organizations should implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and consider disabling unnecessary Widevine functionality on devices where premium content access is not required. Device manufacturers should conduct thorough security audits of their implementations to ensure proper input validation is maintained across all secure application components. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing proper access control validation mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security layers such as application sandboxing and regular security assessments to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other secure application components. This case demonstrates the critical need for robust input validation and access control mechanisms in security-sensitive applications, particularly those handling premium content and sensitive system operations.