CVE-2015-9142 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile MDM9645, MDM9650, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 427, SD 430, SD 435, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, SDM630, SDM636, SDM660, and Snapdragon_High_Med_2016, bounds check is missing for vtable index in DAL-TO-QDI conversion framework.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-9142 represents a critical bounds checking flaw within the Android operating system's Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset implementations. This issue affects numerous Snapdragon mobile processors including the MDM9645, MDM9650, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 427, SD 430, SD 435, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, SDM630, SDM636, and SDM660 processors. The vulnerability specifically resides in the DAL-TO-QDI conversion framework where proper validation of vtable indices is absent, creating a potential pathway for malicious code execution.
This technical flaw constitutes a classic buffer overflow condition that falls under the CWE-129 vulnerability category, specifically addressing insufficient boundary checking. The absence of proper bounds validation for vtable indices creates an exploitable condition where an attacker can manipulate memory access patterns to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of kernel-level memory management and Qualcomm's proprietary Snapdragon chipset implementations, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged to bypass Android's security model and gain unauthorized access to system resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can be exploited to compromise the entire device security architecture. Attackers can potentially leverage this flaw to execute malicious code with kernel-level privileges, effectively bypassing Android's application sandboxing mechanisms and device encryption protections. The vulnerability affects devices running Android versions prior to the 2018-04-05 security patch level, leaving millions of mobile devices susceptible to exploitation. This represents a significant concern for enterprise environments where mobile device management policies may not have been updated to address this specific vulnerability, creating potential attack vectors for advanced persistent threats.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-9142 require immediate implementation of the latest Android security patches from Google, specifically targeting the 2018-04-05 security update or later. Organizations should prioritize device firmware updates across all affected Snapdragon chipset implementations and implement robust mobile device management protocols to ensure compliance. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation' and T1059 which covers 'Command and Scripting Interpreter', suggesting that exploitation could lead to command execution capabilities. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts and establish baseline security configurations that include disabling unnecessary services and applying principle of least privilege configurations to limit potential attack surface.