CVE-2014-9866 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
drivers/media/platform/msm/camera_v2/sensor/csid/msm_csid.c in the Qualcomm components in Android before 2016-08-05 on Nexus 5 and 7 (2013) devices does not validate a certain parameter, which allows attackers to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka Android internal bug 28747684 and Qualcomm internal bug CR511358.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9866 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the Qualcomm camera subsystem of Android devices, specifically affecting Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 (2013) models released before the security patch date of August 5, 2016. This vulnerability exists within the msm_csid.c driver component that forms part of the Qualcomm MSM (Media Signal Processor) camera platform, which is responsible for processing image data from camera sensors and managing the communication between the camera hardware and the Android operating system's camera framework. The flaw resides in the camera sensor interface driver where insufficient parameter validation occurs during the processing of camera sensor configuration commands, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by malicious applications to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from a missing input validation check within the camera sensor identifier (CSID) driver, which is part of the broader MSM camera v2 subsystem architecture. When a malicious application attempts to configure camera sensor parameters through the Android camera HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer), the driver fails to properly validate a critical parameter that controls memory access permissions and privilege levels. This parameter validation failure creates a path where attacker-controlled data can influence the driver's behavior, potentially allowing an attacker to manipulate kernel memory locations or bypass security restrictions that normally prevent user-space applications from accessing privileged system resources. The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-20, "Improper Input Validation," and specifically demonstrates how insufficient validation of input parameters can lead to privilege escalation attacks within kernel drivers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it enables a malicious application to escalate privileges from standard user context to kernel-level execution, effectively bypassing the Android security model that separates user applications from system-level operations. Once exploited, the attacker gains complete control over the device's camera subsystem and potentially broader system access, allowing for persistent root access, data exfiltration, and the installation of additional malicious components. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects devices that were widely deployed and often used in enterprise environments, where the compromise of a single device could potentially provide access to corporate networks and sensitive information. The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation," and demonstrates how kernel-level vulnerabilities can be leveraged to achieve system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-9866 primarily focus on applying the security patches released by Google and Qualcomm, which include updated kernel drivers and camera subsystem components that properly validate input parameters before processing them. System administrators should ensure that all affected Nexus devices are updated to the latest Android security patch level, particularly those released after August 5, 2016, which contained the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should implement application whitelisting policies to prevent the installation and execution of untrusted applications that might attempt to exploit this vulnerability. The fix typically involves implementing proper parameter validation checks within the msm_csid.c driver code, ensuring that all input parameters are thoroughly validated before being processed, and that any unauthorized attempts to modify privileged memory locations are properly rejected. Device manufacturers should also consider implementing additional runtime protections such as kernel address space layout randomization and stack canaries to make exploitation more difficult even if similar vulnerabilities are discovered in the future.