CVE-2015-9152 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Automobile and Snapdragon Mobile IPQ4019, 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 800, SD 810, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, and Snapdragon_High_Med_2016, modem owned regions are accessible from secure side.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2020
This vulnerability affects Qualcomm Snapdragon automotive and mobile platforms, specifically those utilizing modem-owned memory regions that remain accessible from the secure side of the system. The flaw exists in Android versions prior to the 2018-04-05 security patch level, creating a critical security gap where sensitive modem memory areas can be accessed by the secure operating environment. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the security architecture that separates trusted and untrusted execution environments, allowing potential attackers to access memory regions that should remain isolated within the modem's secure domain. The vulnerability impacts a wide range of Snapdragon chipsets including the 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 800, SD 810, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, and Snapdragon_High_Med_2016 platforms. The technical implementation flaw stems from improper memory management and access control mechanisms within the modem's secure side, where memory protection boundaries are not properly enforced. This allows for unauthorized memory access that could potentially expose sensitive information, compromise modem operations, or enable privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues, specifically concerning improper access control mechanisms in secure memory regions. From an operational perspective, this flaw poses significant risks to automotive systems and mobile devices that rely on Snapdragon chipsets, potentially enabling attackers to extract confidential data, modify modem behavior, or gain elevated privileges within the system. The impact extends beyond simple data exposure to include potential system compromise through manipulation of modem firmware or communication protocols. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation and T1547 Persistence, as attackers could leverage the accessible modem memory to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within the secure execution environment. The vulnerability demonstrates a critical failure in the Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) implementation where the secure side cannot properly isolate its memory from unauthorized access. This represents a fundamental security architecture flaw that affects both automotive infotainment systems and mobile devices relying on Qualcomm's modem technologies. The affected platforms represent a significant portion of the automotive and mobile markets, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for widespread exploitation. Security researchers have identified that the issue stems from improper memory mapping and access control policies that should prevent the secure side from accessing modem-owned memory regions. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple generations of Snapdragon chipsets indicates a systemic architectural weakness rather than an isolated implementation error. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected Android versions and consider implementing additional monitoring for unauthorized memory access patterns. Hardware-level mitigations may include firmware updates to enforce proper memory isolation boundaries and enhanced access control mechanisms. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper memory management in secure execution environments and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of modem integration within mobile and automotive platforms. This flaw serves as a reminder of the complex security challenges inherent in heterogeneous computing environments where multiple processing units must maintain proper isolation while sharing resources. The security implications extend to potential compromise of vehicle communication systems, mobile network operations, and sensitive data processing within the secure domain.