CVE-2015-9200 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear MDM9206, MDM9650, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 425, SD 430, SD 450, SD 625, SD 650/52, and SD 835, in some TrustZone API functions, untrusted pointers can be dereferenced.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2020
This vulnerability exists within the Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile and wearable chipsets affecting Android devices released before the 2018-04-05 security patch level. The flaw resides in the TrustZone API functions where untrusted pointers can be dereferenced, creating a critical security risk that allows malicious actors to potentially execute arbitrary code within the secure execution environment. The vulnerability affects multiple generations of Snapdragon processors including the MDM9206, MDM9650, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 425, SD 430, SD 450, SD 625, SD 650/52, and SD 835 chipsets. The TrustZone technology is designed to provide a secure execution environment separate from the main operating system, making this vulnerability particularly concerning as it undermines the fundamental security model of these processors. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-476 which describes NULL Pointer Dereference, though in this context it specifically relates to untrusted pointer dereferencing within secure processor components. The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows attackers to bypass the security boundaries provided by TrustZone, potentially enabling privilege escalation attacks that could lead to complete system compromise.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves improper validation of input parameters within the TrustZone API functions that handle communication between the secure and non-secure execution environments. When untrusted data is passed to these functions without adequate validation, the processor may attempt to dereference pointers that point to invalid memory locations or locations controlled by an attacker. This creates a pathway for malicious code execution within the secure world, which is typically isolated from regular operating system processes. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at a low level within the hardware security architecture, making detection and prevention more challenging than typical software vulnerabilities. Attackers could exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, execute malicious code, or potentially manipulate the secure boot process. The exploitation requires knowledge of the specific TrustZone API functions and the ability to craft inputs that will cause the processor to dereference malicious pointers, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 for locally executed malicious code.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Android devices with the security updates released by Qualcomm and device manufacturers. System administrators should ensure that all devices running affected Snapdragon chipsets receive the appropriate security patches, which typically include updated TrustZone firmware and modified API validation routines. Organizations should also implement monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain strict device update policies. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices in hardware security modules and emphasizes the need for thorough input validation in all system components that operate within secure execution environments. Additionally, device manufacturers should consider implementing additional runtime protections and memory validation mechanisms to prevent similar issues in future implementations. Regular security audits of hardware security modules and secure execution environments should be conducted to identify potential pointer validation issues and other memory-related vulnerabilities that could compromise system integrity. The security community should also continue to monitor for similar vulnerabilities in other hardware security implementations and maintain awareness of the evolving threat landscape in mobile device security.