CVE-2014-9972 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In all Qualcomm products with Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel, disabling asserts can potentially cause a NULL pointer dereference during an out-of-memory condition.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/08/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9972 represents a critical software flaw affecting Qualcomm products that utilize Android operating systems through the Linux kernel framework. This issue specifically manifests when assert mechanisms are disabled within the system, creating a dangerous condition that can lead to system instability and potential security breaches. The vulnerability exists across all Qualcomm products that incorporate Android releases from the Code Aurora Forum, indicating a widespread impact affecting numerous mobile devices and embedded systems that rely on Qualcomm's hardware and software infrastructure.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper error handling during memory allocation failures. When asserts are disabled, the system fails to properly validate pointer references during out-of-memory conditions, resulting in a NULL pointer dereference scenario. This occurs because the kernel code does not adequately check for null return values from memory allocation functions before attempting to dereference pointers. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered during normal system operation when memory resources become constrained, making it exploitable through various attack vectors that can force memory exhaustion conditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes, potentially enabling attackers to cause denial of service conditions or even execute arbitrary code within the kernel space. When a NULL pointer dereference occurs during an out-of-memory condition, it can lead to system-wide instability, application crashes, or complete device reboot cycles. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-476 which addresses NULL pointer dereference issues, and can be leveraged by threat actors to perform persistent denial of service attacks against affected devices. The vulnerability's exploitation potential increases when combined with other memory-related flaws, as it can create a chain of failures that compromise the entire system integrity.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-9972 require immediate patching of affected Qualcomm products through firmware updates that restore proper assert functionality or implement additional null pointer validation mechanisms. System administrators should ensure that assert mechanisms remain enabled in production environments and that memory management routines include proper null checks before pointer dereferencing operations. The implementation of proper input validation and error handling practices can prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in future code implementations. Additionally, monitoring systems should be deployed to detect unusual memory allocation patterns that might indicate attempts to trigger this vulnerability, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's system binary proxy techniques that involve manipulating system resources to achieve unauthorized access or denial of service conditions.