CVE-2015-9204 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 410/12, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 808, and SD 810, if cchFriendlyName is greater than TZ_PR_MAX_NAME_LEN in function playready_leavedomain_generate_challenge(), a buffer overread occurs.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2020
This vulnerability exists in Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile chipsets affecting Android versions prior to the 2018-04-05 security patch level. The issue manifests in the playready_leavedomain_generate_challenge() function where insufficient input validation leads to a buffer overread condition when processing the cchFriendlyName parameter. The vulnerability specifically impacts devices utilizing Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear chipsets including MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 410/12, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 808, and SD 810 processors. This flaw resides in the Trusted Execution Environment component of the Qualcomm chipsets, which handles secure processing of digital rights management content. The buffer overread occurs when the cchFriendlyName value exceeds the TZ_PR_MAX_NAME_LEN constant, causing the system to read beyond allocated memory boundaries. This vulnerability represents a classic buffer overread issue that falls under CWE-126, which describes "Buffer Over-read" conditions where a program reads data past the end of a buffer. The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it could potentially allow attackers to execute arbitrary code within the secure environment or cause system instability through memory corruption. The flaw is particularly concerning because it operates within the Trusted Execution Environment, a critical security component designed to isolate sensitive operations from the main operating system. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious input that exceeds the buffer size limit, potentially leading to privilege escalation or denial of service conditions. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which involves exploiting legitimate credentials or privileges to gain access to secure execution environments. This issue affects a wide range of mobile devices including smartphones and wearables that rely on Qualcomm's secure processing capabilities for DRM operations. The vulnerability demonstrates the complexity of secure enclave implementations where insufficient bounds checking in trusted code can create exploitable conditions. The affected chipsets represent a significant portion of mobile devices from 2015-2017, making this a widespread concern for device security. The fix requires updating the Android system to a version with the appropriate security patch level, which includes proper input validation and buffer size enforcement in the playready_leavedomain_generate_challenge() function. Organizations should prioritize patching affected devices to prevent potential exploitation, as this vulnerability could enable attackers to bypass security protections designed to isolate sensitive digital rights management operations. The issue highlights the importance of thorough input validation in secure processing components and demonstrates how seemingly minor boundary checking failures can lead to critical security vulnerabilities in mobile device security architectures.