CVE-2015-9169 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 800, SD 808, and SD 810, buffer over-read in QSEE app may cause confidential information to be leaked.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-9169 represents a critical buffer over-read flaw within the Qualcomm Secure Execution Environment (QSEE) application that affects numerous Snapdragon mobile and wearable chipsets. This issue exists in Android versions prior to the 2018-04-05 security patch level and specifically targets Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms 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 800, SD 808, and SD 810 processors. The QSEE application serves as a critical security component responsible for handling sensitive operations and maintaining the integrity of the device's secure environment, making this vulnerability particularly concerning from a cybersecurity perspective.
The technical implementation of this buffer over-read vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the QSEE application's memory management routines. When processing certain input data or commands, the application fails to validate buffer boundaries, allowing malicious actors to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer space. This flaw falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to information disclosure. The vulnerability manifests when legitimate applications or malicious code interact with the secure execution environment, potentially causing the system to expose sensitive data stored in adjacent memory regions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can potentially expose cryptographic keys, user credentials, and other confidential information stored within the device's memory. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could leverage the over-read condition to extract sensitive data that should remain protected within the secure execution environment. This represents a significant threat to device security, particularly in environments where mobile devices handle sensitive corporate or personal information. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Qualcomm processors, creating a substantial attack surface that could potentially impact millions of devices globally, making it a high-priority concern for security professionals and device manufacturers.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-9169 primarily focus on applying the appropriate security patches released by Qualcomm and Android vendors, which address the buffer over-read condition through proper bounds checking mechanisms. Device manufacturers should ensure timely deployment of the 2018-04-05 security patch level or later, which includes fixes for the QSEE application's memory handling routines. Additionally, implementing runtime monitoring and memory protection mechanisms can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider network-level monitoring to identify potential exploitation attempts and maintain awareness of the vulnerability's presence in their device fleet. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patches do not introduce compatibility issues with existing applications, while also validating that the secure execution environment functions correctly post-patch deployment. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper memory management practices in secure execution environments, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1068 which addresses local privilege escalation and information gathering through system vulnerabilities.