CVE-2014-9876 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
drivers/char/diag/diagfwd.c in the Qualcomm components in Android before 2016-08-05 on Nexus 5, 5X, 6, 6P, and 7 (2013) devices mishandles certain integer values, which allows attackers to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka Android internal bug 28767796 and Qualcomm internal bug CR483408.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9876 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the Qualcomm diagnostic driver components of Android operating systems. This issue specifically affects devices manufactured by Google and released between 2013 and 2016, including popular models such as the Nexus 5, 5X, 6, 6P, and 7. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of integer values within the diagfwd.c file, which is part of the diagnostic forwarding mechanism used by Qualcomm's Android implementations. This flaw allows malicious applications to exploit kernel-level memory management functions and elevate their privileges from standard user-level processes to root-level access.
The technical nature of this vulnerability resides in integer overflow and manipulation within kernel-space drivers that handle diagnostic communication protocols. The diagfwd.c component is responsible for forwarding diagnostic messages between user-space applications and kernel-space diagnostic services on Qualcomm-based Android devices. When certain integer values are processed without proper validation or bounds checking, attackers can manipulate these values to overwrite critical kernel memory regions. This manipulation occurs through crafted applications that exploit the driver's insufficient input validation mechanisms, allowing for arbitrary code execution within kernel space. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which describes integer overflow and underflow conditions that can lead to memory corruption and privilege escalation attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching across the affected Android ecosystem. Attackers can leverage this flaw to gain complete root access to vulnerable devices, enabling them to bypass all Android security controls including SELinux policies, application sandboxing, and encryption mechanisms. Once compromised, malicious actors can install persistent backdoors, extract sensitive user data, modify system files, and maintain unauthorized access to the device. The vulnerability affects a substantial number of Android devices from 2013-2016, representing a significant attack surface that could be exploited by both sophisticated threat actors and less technically skilled attackers. The issue also demonstrates how hardware-specific driver vulnerabilities can create persistent security weaknesses that extend beyond traditional software-based exploits.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-9876 require immediate patching of affected Android versions through official security updates from device manufacturers and Google. Organizations and users should ensure their devices receive the Android security patch released on August 5, 2016, which specifically addresses this vulnerability by implementing proper integer validation and bounds checking in the diagnostic driver components. Additionally, security measures should include regular firmware updates, device monitoring for suspicious behavior, and implementation of mobile threat defense solutions that can detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a critical reminder of the importance of kernel-level security in mobile platforms and demonstrates how hardware-specific vulnerabilities can create persistent threats that require coordinated patch management across multiple vendors and device manufacturers. This case also highlights the necessity of robust input validation in kernel-space drivers and the potential consequences of inadequate bounds checking in system-level components that handle sensitive communication protocols.