CVE-2015-9144 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9615, MDM9625, MDM9635M, MDM9640, MDM9645, MDM9650, MDM9655, MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 430, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 617, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, SD 835, SD 845, SD 850, and SDX20, while processing scheduling message information, a buffer overflow can occur.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-9144 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw affecting Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile platforms and wearable devices. This security weakness exists within the Android operating system's handling of scheduling message information, specifically impacting devices that utilize Qualcomm's Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear chipsets. The vulnerability affects a wide range of processors including MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9615, MDM9625, MDM9635M, MDM9640, MDM9645, MDM9650, MDM9655, MSM8909W, and numerous SD series processors spanning from SD 210 through SD 850 and SDX20. The flaw stems from inadequate bounds checking during the processing of scheduling messages, creating an exploitable condition where maliciously crafted data can overwrite adjacent memory regions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the kernel-level handling of scheduling information within the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset's communication subsystem. When the system processes scheduling messages, it fails to validate the length or size of incoming data before copying it into fixed-size buffers. This classic buffer overflow condition allows attackers to potentially overwrite critical memory locations including return addresses, function pointers, or other control data structures. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it operates at the kernel level, providing potential for privilege escalation and system compromise. According to CWE-121, this represents a classic stack-based buffer overflow condition that can lead to arbitrary code execution.
The operational implications of CVE-2015-9144 extend beyond simple data corruption, as it creates a pathway for sophisticated attacks targeting mobile device security. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious code with kernel-level privileges, potentially gaining complete control over affected devices. The widespread adoption of Qualcomm Snapdragon processors across numerous Android device models means that this vulnerability affects a substantial portion of the mobile ecosystem. The vulnerability's exploitation could lead to persistent backdoors, data exfiltration, or complete device compromise, making it particularly concerning for enterprise and government deployments. This flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and control execution and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-9144 require immediate implementation of security patches provided by Qualcomm and device manufacturers. Organizations should prioritize updating all affected devices to the latest security patch levels, with particular attention to devices running Android versions prior to the 2018-04-05 patch. Device administrators should implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and consider disabling unnecessary scheduling functions that might trigger the vulnerable code paths. The vulnerability's classification as a kernel-level buffer overflow necessitates comprehensive system hardening measures including stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and code execution prevention mechanisms. Additionally, regular security assessments should verify that all components of the mobile platform have been properly patched and that no legacy code paths remain vulnerable to similar buffer overflow conditions.