CVE-2014-9894 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
drivers/misc/qseecom.c in the Qualcomm components in Android before 2016-08-05 on Nexus 7 (2013) devices does not ensure that certain name strings end in a '\0' character, which allows attackers to obtain sensitive information via a crafted application, aka Android internal bug 28749708 and Qualcomm internal bug CR545736.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9894 resides within the Qualcomm Secure Execution Environment Communication driver component, specifically in the qseecom.c file located in the Android kernel's misc drivers directory. This flaw affects Android versions prior to 2016-08-05 and is particularly impactful on Nexus 7 (2013) devices. The vulnerability stems from inadequate string termination handling within the driver's communication interface, creating a potential information disclosure risk that can be exploited by malicious applications. The issue manifests when certain name strings are processed without proper null termination, allowing attackers to read beyond intended memory boundaries.
This vulnerability represents a classic buffer over-read condition that falls under CWE-121, which describes the weakness of insufficient boundary checking in buffer operations. The flaw occurs in the kernel-level driver that facilitates communication between the Android application layer and the Qualcomm secure execution environment. When applications interact with the qseecom driver through ioctl calls, the driver fails to properly validate or terminate string parameters before processing them. This inadequate input sanitization creates a situation where attackers can craft malicious applications that exploit the missing null termination to access adjacent memory regions containing sensitive data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can potentially expose confidential system information, cryptographic keys, or other sensitive data stored in memory adjacent to the improperly terminated strings. Attackers can leverage this flaw to construct applications that make crafted ioctl calls to the vulnerable driver, causing the system to read beyond allocated memory boundaries. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the kernel level within the Qualcomm secure execution environment, which is designed to provide a trusted execution environment for sensitive operations. This allows attackers to potentially extract information that should remain protected within the secure execution environment, undermining the fundamental security assumptions of the platform.
The exploitability of this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under the T1059.003 sub-technique for command and scripting interpreter, where attackers can leverage kernel-level vulnerabilities to gain access to sensitive information. The vulnerability also relates to T1552.001 for unsecured credentials, as the information disclosure could potentially expose cryptographic material or authentication tokens. Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper string termination checks within kernel drivers, enforcing strict input validation before processing user-supplied data, and ensuring that all string operations within kernel space properly null-terminate character arrays. Additionally, organizations should implement regular security updates and patch management processes to address such kernel-level vulnerabilities promptly. The fix typically involves modifying the driver code to explicitly verify that all name strings end with null terminators before processing, preventing the information disclosure that occurs when the system reads beyond intended memory boundaries.