CVE-2015-2245 in Ascend P7
Summary
by MITRE
Huawei Ascend P7 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (phone process crash).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/29/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2245 affects Huawei Ascend P7 mobile devices, representing a significant security concern that enables remote attackers to induce denial of service conditions through deliberate phone process crashes. This weakness manifests in a manner that allows adversaries to remotely compromise the device's operational integrity without requiring physical access or elevated privileges. The vulnerability specifically targets the device's processing mechanisms, causing legitimate phone processes to terminate unexpectedly and resulting in complete service disruption. From a cybersecurity perspective, this represents a critical flaw in mobile device security architecture that undermines user confidence and operational reliability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and process management within the Huawei Ascend P7's operating system framework. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious inputs or network communications that trigger specific code paths leading to process termination. The flaw likely resides in how the device handles certain data streams or communication protocols, potentially through buffer overflows, improper exception handling, or race conditions in process management. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-122, which addresses buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-362, which covers concurrent execution use of lock objects. The attack vector typically involves network-based exploitation where remote adversaries can send specially crafted data packets or commands that cause the phone's core processes to crash.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-2245 extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass broader implications for mobile device security and user privacy. When phone processes crash repeatedly, users experience complete loss of communication capabilities, rendering the device unusable for voice calls, text messaging, and data connectivity. This vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in emergency situations where reliable communication is critical. Additionally, the repeated crashes may indicate underlying system instability that could potentially be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks. From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability provides a reliable method for disrupting service availability, which aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's T1499 technique for network denial of service attacks. The impact is particularly severe given that mobile devices serve as primary communication tools for billions of users globally.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2245 require both immediate and long-term approaches to address the vulnerability effectively. Users should immediately install available security patches and firmware updates provided by Huawei to resolve the underlying process management flaws. Network administrators and security teams should implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual process termination patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Device manufacturers should enhance their secure coding practices and conduct thorough security testing of process management components before deployment. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation and process isolation mechanisms within mobile operating systems. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and intrusion detection systems to prevent unauthorized access to mobile device communication channels. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in mobile device firmware and operating system components. Additionally, user education regarding suspicious network communications and the importance of timely firmware updates remains crucial for maintaining overall security posture against such denial of service vulnerabilities.