CVE-2014-2273 in P2-6011
Summary
by MITRE
The hx170dec device driver in Huawei P2-6011 before V100R001C00B043 allows local users to read and write to arbitrary memory locations via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/10/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2273 resides within the hx170dec device driver component of Huawei P2-6011 mobile devices running firmware versions prior to V100R001C00B043. This represents a critical security flaw that fundamentally compromises the device's memory protection mechanisms, creating an avenue for local privilege escalation and unauthorized data manipulation. The device driver operates at a low level within the operating system, managing hardware communication for specific multimedia decoding functions, making it a prime target for exploitation due to its privileged execution context and direct hardware access capabilities.
The technical flaw manifests through unspecified vectors that allow malicious local users to bypass normal memory access controls and directly manipulate arbitrary memory locations within the device's address space. This vulnerability falls under the category of improper access control as defined by CWE-284, where insufficient checks enable unauthorized memory operations. The underlying issue stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the device driver's implementation, specifically failing to properly validate memory access requests or enforce proper boundary checks during device operations. Attackers can leverage this weakness to read sensitive data from protected memory regions or write malicious code to critical system locations, effectively compromising the device's integrity and confidentiality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it enables full system compromise through local privilege escalation. An attacker with local access can exploit this flaw to gain elevated privileges and execute arbitrary code with system-level permissions, potentially leading to complete device takeover. This vulnerability particularly affects mobile devices where the device driver operates with high privileges, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking persistent access to mobile platforms. The implications include unauthorized data access, potential malware installation, and the ability to modify critical system components, all while remaining undetected by standard security monitoring mechanisms. The vulnerability's local nature means it requires physical access or prior compromise to the device, but once exploited, it provides a persistent backdoor for further attacks.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate firmware updates to the affected Huawei P2-6011 devices, ensuring all users upgrade to firmware version V100R001C00B043 or later where the vulnerability has been patched. System administrators should implement strict access controls and monitor for unusual memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper device driver security implementation and adherence to secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing mobile device management solutions that can automatically enforce firmware updates and monitor for known vulnerable components within their device inventory. This case highlights the critical need for comprehensive security testing of device drivers and proper memory protection mechanisms, particularly in mobile environments where physical access can be easily gained and exploited for system compromise.