CVE-2015-9130 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, SD 617, SD 650/52, SD 808, and SD 810, in a PlayReady function, a NULL pointer dereference can occur.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-9130 represents a critical null pointer dereference flaw within the PlayReady implementation on Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile processors. This issue affects a wide range of Snapdragon chipsets including the MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 617, SD 650/52, SD 808, and SD 810 platforms. The vulnerability exists within the Android operating system's security framework and specifically targets the PlayReady digital rights management system that handles protected media content. This flaw allows attackers to potentially crash applications or the entire system through maliciously crafted media content or by exploiting the vulnerable PlayReady function.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the PlayReady component of Qualcomm's mobile processors. When processing certain media content, the system fails to properly validate pointer references, leading to a scenario where a null pointer is dereferenced during the processing of protected media streams. This condition typically occurs when the PlayReady subsystem attempts to access memory locations that have not been properly initialized or allocated. The flaw is categorized under CWE-476 as a null pointer dereference, which represents a common class of software vulnerabilities where a program attempts to access a memory location pointed to by a null reference. The vulnerability demonstrates how embedded security components can become attack vectors when proper null checks are omitted during memory management operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-9130 extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially enable more sophisticated attack scenarios. While the immediate effect is a system crash or application termination, this vulnerability can serve as a stepping stone for attackers to gain deeper system access or execute arbitrary code. The affected Snapdragon platforms represent a significant portion of mobile devices from 2015-2018, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could affect millions of devices. Attackers could leverage this flaw to deliver malicious media content that triggers the null pointer dereference, potentially causing denial of service or creating opportunities for privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, where system crashes could be used to establish persistent access or to prepare for more advanced exploitation techniques.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-9130 primarily involve applying the appropriate security patches released by Qualcomm and device manufacturers. Organizations and users should ensure their devices receive the Android security patch level released on or after April 5, 2018, which contains fixes for this vulnerability. Device manufacturers should implement proper input validation and null pointer checks within their PlayReady implementations to prevent similar issues in future releases. Additionally, system administrators should monitor for any signs of exploitation attempts and maintain updated threat intelligence feeds that track vulnerabilities affecting mobile platforms. The fix typically involves strengthening the validation logic within the PlayReady subsystem to ensure all pointer references are properly checked before access, addressing the fundamental CWE-476 vulnerability that underlies the issue. Regular security audits of embedded systems and digital rights management components should also be conducted to identify similar null pointer dereference conditions that could lead to system instability or security breaches.