CVE-2015-8306 in Huawei
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the HIFI driver in Huawei P8 phones with software GRA-TL00 before GRA-TL00C01B230, GRA-CL00 before GRA-CL00C92B230, GRA-CL10 before GRA-CL10C92B230, GRA-UL00 before GRA-UL00C00B230, and GRA-UL10 before GRA-UL10C00B230 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (system crash) or execute arbitrary code via an unspecified parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8306 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the HIFI driver component of Huawei P8 smartphone devices. This flaw exists in specific software versions including GRA-TL00 before GRA-TL00C01B230, GRA-CL00 before GRA-CL00C92B230, GRA-CL10 before GRA-CL10C92B230, GRA-UL00 before GRA-UL00C00B230, and GRA-UL10 before GRA-UL10C00B230. The buffer overflow occurs in the HIFI driver which is responsible for handling high-fidelity audio processing functionality within the device's operating system. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to write data beyond the allocated buffer boundaries.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate the device's memory structure through unspecified parameters that are processed by the vulnerable HIFI driver. When these parameters are crafted maliciously, they can overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting critical system data structures or executing arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The attack vector typically involves sending specially crafted audio data or system commands that trigger the buffer overflow condition during normal operation of the device. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited remotely without requiring physical access to the device, making it a significant threat to mobile device security. The underlying issue stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices within the driver component.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system instability to encompass potential complete device compromise. A successful exploitation can result in denial of service conditions causing system crashes and complete device lockouts, or more severely enable attackers to execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges. This capability allows threat actors to install malicious applications, access sensitive user data, modify system configurations, or establish persistent backdoors on affected devices. The vulnerability affects a substantial number of Huawei P8 devices in the affected software versions, creating a widespread security risk across multiple device models and regions. The potential for remote code execution makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in mobile environments where devices handle sensitive personal and corporate information.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8306 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from Huawei to address the buffer overflow condition in the HIFI driver. Users should ensure their devices are running the latest available software versions that contain patches for this vulnerability. Network administrators should monitor for suspicious network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts and implement network segmentation to limit potential lateral movement. Device manufacturers should conduct thorough code reviews and security testing of driver components to identify similar buffer overflow conditions. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing robust input validation and memory management practices as outlined in the software security principles of the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing mobile device management solutions that can automatically deploy security patches and monitor for vulnerable device configurations. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059.007 technique for command and scripting interpreter, as exploitation may involve executing malicious code through compromised system processes.