CVE-2014-9882 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in drivers/media/radio/radio-iris.c in the Qualcomm components in Android before 2016-08-05 on Nexus 7 (2013) devices allows attackers to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka Android internal bug 28769546 and Qualcomm internal bug CR552329.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9882 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the radio-iris.c driver component of Android systems, specifically affecting Nexus 7 (2013) devices running Android versions prior to August 5, 2016. This issue resides in the Qualcomm components that form part of the Android kernel's media framework, creating a potential privilege escalation vector that could be exploited by malicious applications. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation within the radio driver interface, allowing attackers to craft specially designed applications that trigger memory corruption during normal radio operation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a classic buffer overflow condition where user-supplied data exceeds the allocated buffer space in the radio-iris.c driver. This particular driver manages Qualcomm's radio hardware interfaces and handles communication between the application layer and the radio hardware components. When an application submits malformed data to the radio driver through the kernel interface, the insufficient bounds checking allows memory to be overwritten beyond the intended buffer boundaries. This memory corruption can potentially overwrite critical kernel data structures, function pointers, or return addresses, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level, making it particularly dangerous as it can bypass standard user-space security mechanisms and directly compromise the system's integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass complete system compromise and potential data exfiltration. Attackers who successfully exploit this flaw can gain root-level access to the device, enabling them to install persistent backdoors, modify system files, access encrypted data, and monitor user activities without detection. The specific targeting of Nexus 7 (2013) devices creates a significant attack surface for adversaries who focus on this particular hardware platform, as these devices were widely deployed and often contained sensitive corporate or personal information. The vulnerability's classification as a kernel-level buffer overflow aligns with CWE-121, which describes "Stack-based Buffer Overflow" conditions that can lead to arbitrary code execution, while also reflecting the ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" through kernel exploits. The Android internal bug identifier 28769546 and Qualcomm internal bug CR552329 demonstrate the coordinated nature of the vulnerability disclosure process between Google and Qualcomm, highlighting how hardware-software integration vulnerabilities can create complex attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-9882 require immediate system updates and patch management to address the underlying kernel vulnerability. Device owners should ensure their Nexus 7 (2013) devices receive the relevant Android security patches released by Google, which include kernel-level fixes that properly validate input data before processing. System administrators should implement network monitoring to detect suspicious application behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on applications that attempt to access radio hardware interfaces. The recommended remediation includes applying the August 2016 security update that patches the buffer overflow in the radio-iris.c driver, along with implementing application sandboxing measures to limit the potential impact of compromised applications. Organizations should also consider device retirement for legacy Nexus 7 devices that cannot receive security updates, as these platforms represent ongoing security risks due to their age and limited support lifecycle. Security professionals should monitor for exploitation attempts through behavioral analysis of system calls and kernel access patterns, as the vulnerability requires specific conditions to be met for successful exploitation, making detection possible through careful system monitoring and log analysis.