CVE-2015-8337 in Huawei
Summary
by MITRE
The HIFI driver in Huawei P8 phones with software GRA-TL00 before GRA-TL00C01B220SP01, GRA-CL00 before GRA-CL00C92B220, GRA-CL10 before GRA-CL10C92B220, GRA-UL00 before GRA-UL00C00B220, GRA-UL10 before GRA-UL10C00B220 and Mate7 phones with software MT7-UL00 before MT7-UL00C17B354, MT7-TL10 before MT7-TL10C00B354, MT7-TL00 before MT7-TL00C01B354, and MT7-CL00 before MT7-CL00C92B354 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (invalid memory access and reboot) via unspecified vectors related to "input null pointer as parameter."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/10/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8337 affects Huawei mobile devices including the P8 and Mate7 series, specifically targeting the HIFI driver component within the device firmware. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that exists in multiple software versions across different device models, indicating a widespread issue within Huawei's mobile platform implementation. The vulnerability manifests when the HIFI driver receives malformed input parameters, particularly null pointer references, which triggers system instability and subsequent device reboot cycles. The affected software versions span across various hardware configurations and release cycles, suggesting that this issue was not isolated to a single product line or firmware revision.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves sending specially crafted input data to the HIFI driver that contains null pointer parameters, which the driver fails to properly validate or handle. This results in invalid memory access conditions that cause the operating system to crash and restart the device automatically. The underlying flaw stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the driver code, where null pointer dereferencing occurs without proper null checks or error handling procedures. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-476, which specifically addresses null pointer dereference conditions in software implementations. The driver's failure to validate input parameters before processing creates an exploitable condition where malicious actors can remotely trigger system instability through network-based attacks or specially crafted applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-8337 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as the automatic reboot cycles can disrupt user experience and potentially create security concerns. Mobile devices experiencing frequent reboots may lose connectivity, interrupt ongoing communications, and compromise user data integrity. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can trigger these conditions without physical access to the device, making it particularly dangerous in mobile environments where devices are frequently connected to networks and applications. From an attack surface perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001, which involves network denial of service attacks targeting mobile devices and their underlying operating systems. The widespread nature of affected devices suggests that this vulnerability could be leveraged for large-scale disruption campaigns, potentially affecting thousands of users simultaneously.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from Huawei to address the null pointer validation issues within the HIFI driver. System administrators and users should ensure that all affected devices receive the latest security patches and firmware updates as released by Huawei. Network security teams should monitor for potential exploitation attempts and implement network-based controls to detect unusual reboot patterns or suspicious network traffic originating from affected devices. Device manufacturers should implement more robust input validation procedures and comprehensive error handling within driver components to prevent similar null pointer dereference conditions. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper software security practices during development cycles, particularly in embedded systems where driver-level components can have cascading effects on overall system stability and security posture. Regular security assessments and code reviews focusing on input validation and error handling should be implemented to prevent similar issues in future software releases and maintain device security integrity.