CVE-2015-8319 in Huawei
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in the HIFI driver in Huawei P8 smartphones 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, and Mate S smartphones with software CRR-TL00 before CRR-TL00C01B160SP01, CRR-UL00 before CRR-UL00C00B160, and CRR-CL00 before CRR-CL00C92B161 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (system crash) or gain privileges via a crafted application, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-8318.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2022
The heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8319 affects Huawei P8 smartphones and Mate S devices running specific software versions, representing a critical security flaw in the HIFI driver component. This vulnerability resides within the audio driver subsystem that handles high-fidelity audio processing, making it a prime target for exploitation due to the privileged nature of audio drivers in mobile operating systems. The affected software versions indicate this is a widespread issue affecting multiple device models and firmware revisions, suggesting the vulnerability was present across various production lines and release cycles.
The technical flaw manifests as a heap-based buffer overflow within the HIFI driver implementation, where insufficient bounds checking allows malicious applications to write beyond allocated memory boundaries in the heap memory space. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, which occurs when a program writes data beyond the boundaries of a heap-allocated buffer. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited through crafted applications that manipulate audio processing parameters, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability. The flaw differs from CVE-2015-8318, indicating it represents a distinct attack vector despite both vulnerabilities affecting the same driver component.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable privilege escalation attacks. When exploited, the buffer overflow can cause system crashes that result in complete device instability, rendering the smartphone unusable until reboot. More concerning is the potential for privilege escalation, where attackers could leverage the vulnerability to execute code with elevated privileges, potentially gaining access to sensitive system functions, user data, or even root access to the device. This capability makes the vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors targeting mobile devices for data theft or persistent access.
The attack surface for this vulnerability is significant as it requires only a malicious application to be installed and executed on the affected devices, making it easily exploitable through social engineering or app store compromises. The vulnerability affects multiple Huawei device models including P8 smartphones and Mate S devices, indicating a broad impact across different hardware platforms and software configurations. Organizations and individuals using affected devices face substantial risk, particularly in enterprise environments where mobile device management policies may not adequately protect against such low-level system exploits. The vulnerability's presence in multiple firmware versions suggests that Huawei may have failed to properly patch or validate memory management in the HIFI driver implementation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8319 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from Huawei to address the heap overflow in the HIFI driver, as this represents the most effective protection against exploitation. System administrators should implement mobile device management policies that restrict installation of untrusted applications and maintain strict application vetting processes. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual audio processing behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices in driver development, particularly around memory management and input validation, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1068 for local privilege escalation and T1499 for system disruption. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level controls to prevent installation of potentially malicious applications and maintain comprehensive incident response procedures for mobile device security incidents.