CVE-2016-10235 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
A denial of service vulnerability in the Qualcomm WiFi driver. Product: Android. Versions: Android kernel. Android ID: A-34390620. References: QC-CR#1046409.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10235 represents a critical denial of service condition within the Qualcomm WiFi driver component of the Android kernel ecosystem. This flaw manifests in the wireless networking subsystem where the kernel driver fails to properly handle malformed or specially crafted wireless packets, leading to system instability and potential complete service disruption. The vulnerability specifically affects Android devices that utilize Qualcomm's WiFi chipsets and their associated kernel drivers, creating a widespread impact across numerous mobile devices that depend on this hardware platform for wireless connectivity. The issue stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the kernel space WiFi driver implementation, where the system does not adequately sanitize incoming wireless frame data before processing.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious wireless frames that trigger a buffer overflow or memory corruption condition within the Qualcomm WiFi driver. This condition typically results in kernel panic or system crash, effectively rendering the device's wireless capabilities inoperable until a manual reboot occurs. The flaw operates at the kernel level where the WiFi driver processes incoming packets without proper bounds checking or error handling for malformed data structures. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-129: Improper Validation of Array Index, as the driver fails to validate array indices when processing wireless frame data, combined with CWE-787: Out of Bounds Write, indicating the driver writes beyond allocated memory boundaries when handling crafted packets. The root cause lies in the driver's insufficient validation of wireless frame parameters and lack of proper memory management during packet processing operations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security implications for mobile device users and organizations relying on Android-based devices for wireless communications. The denial of service condition can be triggered remotely through wireless packet injection attacks, making it particularly dangerous in environments where wireless connectivity is critical. Attackers can exploit this weakness to disrupt wireless services on targeted devices, potentially causing service interruptions in enterprise networks or affecting personal device usability. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as it can lead to complete device unresponsiveness, requiring manual intervention to restore normal operations. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001: Network Denial of Service, where adversaries leverage system weaknesses to disrupt network services. Organizations using Android devices in mission-critical environments face substantial risk from this vulnerability, as it can be exploited to create persistent service interruptions without requiring physical access to the target device.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-10235 focus on both immediate patching and operational security measures. Device manufacturers must implement kernel updates that include proper bounds checking and input validation within the Qualcomm WiFi driver components. The recommended approach involves applying security patches that address the specific memory corruption issues in the driver's wireless frame processing logic. System administrators should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual wireless traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider disabling unnecessary wireless features when not in use and implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of such attacks. The vulnerability highlights the importance of kernel-level security testing and proper input validation in mobile device operating systems. Security teams should also establish incident response procedures for handling wireless service disruptions and maintain updated device inventories to ensure timely patch deployment across all affected platforms. Regular security assessments of kernel components and driver implementations should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities that could lead to system instability or service disruption.