CVE-2015-9176 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Automobile, Snapdragon Mobile, and Snapdragon Wear MDM9206, MDM9650, 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 820A, SD 835, SD 845, and SD 850, Input_address is registered as a shared buffer and is not properly checked before use in OEMCrypto_Generic_Sign(). This allows addresses to be accessed that reside in secure/CP memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2020
This vulnerability exists in Qualcomm Snapdragon automotive and mobile platforms affecting Android versions prior to the 2018-04-05 security patch level. The flaw occurs within the OEMCrypto_Generic_Sign() function where input addresses are registered as shared buffers without proper validation before use. This represents a critical security weakness that allows unauthorized access to memory regions typically protected within secure contexts. The vulnerability specifically impacts a wide range of Qualcomm chipsets including MDM9206, MDM9650, MSM8909W, and various SD series processors from SD 210 through SD 850. The technical implementation fails to validate memory addresses that should remain protected within secure cryptographic processing environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory access issues as it enables attackers to potentially access sensitive data residing in secure memory regions. This flaw allows for privilege escalation and could lead to complete system compromise by enabling unauthorized access to cryptographic keys, secure processing contexts, and other sensitive information typically isolated within trusted execution environments. The vulnerability affects automotive systems where security is paramount and could potentially be exploited to compromise vehicle security systems, digital rights management, or other critical automotive functionalities. This type of memory corruption vulnerability directly relates to CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds writes in buffer operations.
Security researchers have identified this as a significant threat to mobile and automotive platforms that rely on Qualcomm's secure processing capabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in proper input validation and memory management within the OEMCrypto implementation, which is designed to handle cryptographic operations in secure environments. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness to bypass secure boot processes, access encrypted data, or manipulate cryptographic operations that should remain isolated within protected memory regions. The impact is particularly severe given that these chipsets are deployed in automotive applications where system integrity and data protection are critical for safety and security. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access, specifically targeting the execution environment through memory corruption methods that could enable persistent access to secure system components. Organizations should implement immediate patch management strategies to address this vulnerability across affected platforms and consider additional monitoring for suspicious memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.