CVE-2015-8680 in Huawei
Summary
by MITRE
The Graphics 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 with the graphics permission, aka an "interface access control vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-8307.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8680 represents a critical interface access control flaw within the graphics driver components of Huawei P8 and Mate S smartphone models. This vulnerability specifically affects devices running various software versions including GRA-TL00C01B230, GRA-CL00C92B230, and their respective variants, as well as CRR-TL00C01B160SP01 and related firmware releases. The flaw resides in the graphics driver's permission handling mechanisms, creating a pathway for malicious applications to exploit system resources beyond their intended scope. This vulnerability operates under the broader category of access control weaknesses that fall within CWE-284, which specifically addresses improper access control vulnerabilities in software systems. The security implications extend beyond simple privilege escalation to include potential system instability and complete service disruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows attackers to craft malicious applications that can manipulate graphics driver interfaces without proper authorization. When such applications are executed, they can trigger system crashes or gain elevated privileges through unauthorized access to graphics processing unit resources. The graphics driver component typically operates at a privileged level within the Android operating system, making this access control failure particularly dangerous. The vulnerability specifically targets the graphics permission model, which should normally restrict access to GPU resources and related system functions. This weakness enables attackers to bypass the normal permission checking mechanisms that should prevent unauthorized access to core system components. The flaw is classified under ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and represents a significant threat to mobile device security architecture.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-8680 extends beyond immediate system crashes to create persistent security risks for affected Huawei devices. Users may experience unexpected system shutdowns or complete device lockouts when malicious applications exploit this vulnerability, leading to denial of service conditions that severely impact device usability. The privilege escalation capability means that attackers could potentially gain root access to the device, enabling them to modify system files, install malicious software, or extract sensitive user data. This vulnerability particularly affects the Android graphics subsystem where the driver components operate with elevated privileges to manage GPU resources. The affected device models represent a significant portion of Huawei's smartphone portfolio from 2015, making this vulnerability widespread across multiple device variants. The impact is further amplified by the fact that graphics drivers often handle sensitive operations including memory management, buffer allocation, and hardware interface control that directly affect overall system security posture.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from Huawei to address the graphics driver access control issues. Device users should ensure their smartphones receive the latest security patches that correct the permission handling flaws in the graphics driver components. System administrators and security teams should implement monitoring for suspicious graphics permission usage and consider temporarily disabling graphics-intensive applications until patches are deployed. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure driver development practices and proper access control implementation in mobile operating systems. Organizations should also consider implementing application sandboxing measures that limit graphics driver access even when applications request such permissions. Additionally, network security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to malicious applications that may attempt to exploit this vulnerability. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of firmware updates to ensure they properly address the access control issues without introducing new system instability. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure coding practices in system drivers and the potential consequences of inadequate access control mechanisms in mobile device security architectures.