CVE-2014-9883 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in drivers/char/diag/diag_dci.c in the Qualcomm components in Android before 2016-08-05 on Nexus 5 and 7 (2013) devices allows attackers to gain privileges or obtain sensitive information via a crafted application, aka Android internal bug 28769912 and Qualcomm internal bug CR565160.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/12/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-9883 represents a critical integer overflow flaw located within the diagnostic driver component of Qualcomm's Android implementation. This specific issue resides in the drivers/char/diag/diag_dci.c file, which forms part of the Android kernel's diagnostic communication interface. The vulnerability affects devices manufactured by Google for the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 (2013) models, with the affected Android versions spanning from the initial releases through the specific cutoff date of August 5, 2016. The flaw manifests as an integer overflow condition that can be exploited by malicious applications to achieve privilege escalation or unauthorized access to sensitive system information. This vulnerability was identified through internal Android bug tracking systems under reference number 28769912 and concurrently documented by Qualcomm under their internal bug tracking system as CR565160.
The technical exploitation of this integer overflow occurs within the diagnostic communication interface that enables communication between the Android device and diagnostic tools used by developers and service personnel. When a crafted application attempts to manipulate the diagnostic interface through carefully constructed input parameters, the integer overflow condition causes the system to misinterpret buffer sizes or data lengths, leading to memory corruption. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category of CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions that can result in memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The diagnostic communication interface operates at a privileged kernel level, making the potential impact of this vulnerability particularly severe since successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute code with kernel-level privileges or access sensitive system data that would normally be restricted.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass comprehensive system compromise capabilities. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can potentially gain root access to the device, enabling them to modify system files, extract confidential user data, or install persistent backdoors. The diagnostic interface typically provides access to low-level system information and control mechanisms that are normally protected from user-space applications, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for mobile devices where user privacy and system integrity are paramount. This issue affects devices that were widely distributed and in use throughout the Android ecosystem, particularly impacting the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 (2013) models that were popular among developers and early adopters. The vulnerability's presence in the kernel-level diagnostic driver means that exploitation could occur without requiring physical access to the device, making it particularly concerning for mobile security.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-9883 primarily focus on updating affected devices to patched Android versions that contain fixes for the integer overflow condition in the diagnostic driver component. Users should ensure their Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 (2013) devices receive the security updates released by Google and Qualcomm, particularly those addressing the specific kernel-level vulnerability in the diag_dci.c file. System administrators and security professionals should also implement network-based monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts through unusual diagnostic communication patterns. The fix typically involves proper input validation and bounds checking within the diagnostic driver code to prevent integer overflow conditions from occurring when processing maliciously crafted input. Organizations should also consider implementing application sandboxing and privilege separation mechanisms to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts, though this represents a secondary mitigation since the vulnerability operates at the kernel level. Additionally, security researchers and developers should be aware of the ATT&CK framework's techniques related to privilege escalation and kernel exploitation, as this vulnerability could be leveraged as part of broader attack campaigns targeting mobile devices. The vulnerability underscores the importance of rigorous code review and security testing for kernel-level components, particularly those that provide privileged access interfaces to system diagnostics and communication functions.