CVE-2014-9868 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
drivers/media/platform/msm/camera_v2/sensor/csiphy/msm_csiphy.c in the Qualcomm components in Android before 2016-08-05 on Nexus 5 and 7 (2013) devices allows attackers to gain privileges via an application that provides a crafted mask value, aka Android internal bug 28749721 and Qualcomm internal bug CR511976.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9868 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the Qualcomm camera subsystem of Android devices, specifically affecting Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 (2013) models. This issue resides in the msm_csiphy.c driver file which manages the CSI (Camera Serial Interface) phy layer in Qualcomm's mobile platform. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of mask values provided by user-space applications, creating a path for malicious actors to escalate their privileges from unprivileged application context to kernel-level privileges. The flaw was particularly concerning as it affected devices running Android versions prior to the 2016-08-05 security patch, making a significant portion of the Android ecosystem vulnerable to exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the camera sensor phy driver's insufficient input validation mechanisms when processing mask parameters. When an application provides a crafted mask value, the driver fails to properly validate the bounds and legitimacy of this parameter before using it in kernel memory operations. This lack of proper validation allows attackers to manipulate memory layout or execute arbitrary code within kernel space, effectively bypassing Android's security model that normally isolates user applications from kernel-level operations. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of hardware abstraction layer and kernel driver security, where the Qualcomm component fails to properly sanitize inputs from potentially malicious applications before processing them in privileged contexts. This type of flaw maps directly to CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are common in kernel driver privilege escalation scenarios.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass potential full system compromise on affected devices. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can gain complete control over the device's camera subsystem, potentially enabling them to capture images without user consent, access sensitive camera data, or use the compromised kernel access to escalate further to other system components. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires only a malicious application to be installed on the device, making it accessible through standard app distribution channels or social engineering attacks. This vulnerability also has implications for the broader Android security architecture, as it demonstrates how hardware-specific kernel drivers can contain flaws that bypass the normal Android security boundaries. The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers privilege escalation through local exploits, and T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter usage for malicious payloads.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-9868 primarily focus on applying the relevant security patches released by Google and Qualcomm, which address the improper input validation in the camera sensor phy driver. Users should ensure their devices receive the 2016-08-05 security update or later, which includes fixes for this specific vulnerability. Device manufacturers should also implement additional input validation checks in their kernel driver implementations to prevent similar issues from occurring in future versions. System administrators should monitor for any applications that might attempt to manipulate camera subsystem parameters and implement application whitelisting where possible. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of regular security audits of kernel drivers and hardware abstraction layers, particularly those that handle sensitive device operations like camera interfaces. Additionally, implementing kernel security features such as stack canaries, kernel address space layout randomization, and control flow integrity checks can help mitigate the impact of similar vulnerabilities in the future, though these protections are secondary to proper input validation within the driver itself.