CVE-2014-9951 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In TrustZone in all Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel, an Information Exposure Through Timing Discrepancy vulnerability could potentially exist.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/14/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9951 represents a critical information exposure issue within the TrustZone security architecture of Android devices that utilize the Linux kernel from Code Aurora Forum. This flaw manifests as a timing discrepancy that can potentially reveal sensitive information through observable time-based differences in system operations. The vulnerability affects all Android releases supported by Code Aurora Forum, making it a widespread concern across numerous device models and manufacturers that rely on their kernel implementations.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inconsistent timing behavior in cryptographic operations or memory access patterns within the TrustZone environment. When the system processes sensitive data, the timing variations between different operations create observable discrepancies that adversaries can potentially exploit to infer confidential information. This timing-based information leakage occurs because the TrustZone security module does not adequately mask the execution time differences between various cryptographic or memory operations, allowing attackers to perform timing analysis attacks that can reveal secrets such as encryption keys, authentication tokens, or other sensitive data elements.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally undermines the security assumptions of the TrustZone architecture. Mobile devices that implement this vulnerable kernel code become susceptible to sophisticated timing-based attacks that can compromise the integrity of secure enclaves where sensitive cryptographic operations should remain protected. Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability through malicious applications or system-level exploits to extract confidential data that should remain isolated within the secure world of TrustZone. The implications are particularly severe given that TrustZone is designed to provide hardware-level security isolation, making any timing-based leakage a significant breach of the security model.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-9951 should focus on implementing constant-time cryptographic implementations and ensuring that timing variations are properly masked in all security-sensitive operations. System administrators and device manufacturers should update to patched kernel versions that address the timing discrepancy issues within TrustZone, while also implementing proper timing attack resistance mechanisms. The fix typically involves modifying kernel-level cryptographic implementations to ensure that all operations take constant time regardless of input data, preventing attackers from inferring information through timing analysis. Organizations should also consider implementing additional monitoring and detection mechanisms to identify potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-203, which specifically addresses information exposure through timing discrepancies, and represents a significant concern for mobile security implementations that rely on hardware-based security features. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a technique involving information gathering through timing-based reconnaissance, making it particularly relevant for threat modeling and security assessments targeting mobile platforms with TrustZone implementations.