CVE-2015-9127 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 615/16/SD 415, and SD 810, possible null pointer dereference occurs due to failure of memory allocation when a large value is passed for buffer allocation in the Playready App.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2020
This vulnerability exists in Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile chipsets affecting Android devices released before the 2018-04-05 security patch level. The issue manifests as a null pointer dereference condition that occurs when the Playready application processes memory allocation requests with excessively large buffer values. The flaw represents a classic memory management error where the system fails to properly validate input parameters before attempting to allocate memory resources. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-476 category of NULL Pointer Dereference, which is a fundamental programming error that can lead to system instability and potential exploitation. The vulnerability affects multiple Snapdragon chipset families including MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 615/16/SD 415, and SD 810, indicating a widespread issue across Qualcomm's mobile processor line.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves the Playready application's failure to properly handle memory allocation requests when oversized buffer parameters are passed to the system. When a malicious actor or compromised application attempts to allocate memory with an excessively large value, the memory allocation function fails to return a valid pointer, resulting in a null pointer dereference. This condition typically occurs during the initialization or processing phases of the Playready DRM component, which is responsible for handling digital rights management operations in multimedia content. The null pointer dereference causes the application to crash or behave unpredictably, potentially leading to a denial of service condition that can render the device unstable or unusable. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects the underlying hardware platform rather than just a specific application, making it a system-wide issue that impacts the entire device functionality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors. When a null pointer dereference occurs in a system component like Playready, it can provide attackers with opportunities to escalate privileges or manipulate the device's memory management system. The vulnerability can be exploited to cause persistent denial of service conditions, making the device unreliable for users who depend on media playback or DRM-protected content. From an attacker perspective, this flaw aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's technique T1059 for command and control communications, as it can be leveraged to create persistent system instability that may mask other malicious activities. Additionally, the vulnerability demonstrates a weakness in the memory allocation validation process that can be exploited to trigger system-wide crashes, potentially enabling attackers to create conditions where they can more easily execute arbitrary code or gain unauthorized access to device resources.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability focus primarily on applying the relevant security patches released by Qualcomm and Android vendors. Device users should ensure their systems are updated to the 2018-04-05 security patch level or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the memory allocation validation issue. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management policies to ensure all affected devices receive timely updates, particularly in enterprise environments where multiple devices may be running vulnerable firmware versions. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of input validation in system components, particularly those handling memory allocation requests. Security practitioners should implement additional monitoring for unusual memory allocation patterns and establish robust error handling procedures that can gracefully manage allocation failures without causing system crashes. Organizations should also consider implementing device hardening measures that restrict access to potentially vulnerable system components and establish network segmentation to limit the potential impact of exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patches to ensure compatibility with existing applications and system configurations, as memory management fixes can sometimes introduce regressions in legitimate system functionality.