CVE-2014-9986 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Automobile, Snapdragon Mobile, and Snapdragon Wear MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 430, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 617, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, and SD 820A, in playready_licacq_process_response(), 'cbResponse' value is controlled by HLOS, and there is no validation on this length. If 'cbResponse' is too large, memory overread occurs.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9986 represents a critical memory safety issue affecting Android devices powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets prior to the 2018-04-05 security patch level. This flaw exists within the playready_licacq_process_response() function which handles license acquisition responses for Microsoft's PlayReady digital rights management system. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation where the cbResponse parameter, controlled by the Host Local Operating System (HLOS), is not properly validated for length constraints. This oversight creates a dangerous condition where maliciously crafted license responses could trigger memory overread behaviors, potentially exposing sensitive system information or enabling further exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic buffer overread condition that aligns with CWE-126, which describes "Buffer Over-read" scenarios where an application reads data past the end of a buffer. The flaw occurs specifically within the PlayReady license acquisition process where the system fails to validate the length parameter cbResponse before processing the data. This allows an attacker to manipulate the response size parameter to exceed the allocated buffer boundaries, resulting in memory overread conditions that could expose kernel memory contents or cause system instability. The vulnerability affects a broad range of Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets including the MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 430, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 617, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, and SD 820A processors, indicating the widespread nature of this memory safety issue across multiple generations of mobile and automotive platforms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it creates potential attack vectors for privilege escalation and information disclosure. According to ATT&CK framework category T1068, this vulnerability could enable adversaries to leverage local privilege escalation techniques by exploiting memory corruption flaws in system components. The memory overread condition could potentially expose kernel memory addresses, sensitive data structures, or cryptographic keys stored in memory, providing attackers with valuable information for subsequent exploitation attempts. Additionally, the vulnerability's presence in automotive platforms like the Snapdragon Automobile chipset suggests potential risks to vehicle infotainment systems and connected car services that rely on PlayReady for content protection.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on applying the appropriate security patches released by Qualcomm and Android vendors, specifically targeting the 2018-04-05 security update or later. System administrators should prioritize patch management for affected devices, particularly those in automotive environments where the vulnerability could impact vehicle safety systems. The fix typically involves implementing proper length validation on the cbResponse parameter before processing license acquisition responses, ensuring that input values fall within expected ranges. Network administrators should also consider monitoring for suspicious license acquisition patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while security teams should implement memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries and address space layout randomization to reduce the effectiveness of potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also conduct vulnerability assessments to identify all affected devices and implement comprehensive security monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts targeting this memory safety flaw.