CVE-2016-10282 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the MediaTek thermal driver could enable a local malicious application to execute arbitrary code within the context of the kernel. This issue is rated as High because it first requires compromising a privileged process. Product: Android. Versions: N/A. Android ID: A-33939045. References: M-ALPS03149189.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10282 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the MediaTek thermal driver component of Android operating systems. This issue resides in the kernel-level hardware abstraction layer responsible for managing thermal sensors and temperature monitoring within MediaTek-based devices. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and insufficient access controls within the driver implementation, creating a pathway for local malicious applications to escalate their privileges and gain unauthorized kernel-level execution capabilities.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a flaw in how the MediaTek thermal driver handles user-space input parameters when communicating with kernel-space components. Specifically, the driver fails to properly validate or sanitize input data passed from user applications, allowing crafted malicious input to manipulate kernel memory structures. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow conditions. The flaw enables a local attacker who has already compromised a privileged process to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, effectively bypassing Android's security model and gaining complete system control.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to Android devices running MediaTek chipsets, as it requires only local access to exploit and can result in complete system compromise. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it leverages existing privilege escalation capabilities within the Android environment, making it more difficult to detect and prevent. Once exploited, the malicious application can access all system resources, modify critical system files, install persistent backdoors, and extract sensitive user data. The impact extends beyond individual device security to potentially affect enterprise environments where MediaTek-based devices are prevalent, as attackers could use this vulnerability to establish persistent access to corporate networks.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve immediate patching of the MediaTek thermal driver components through official Android security updates. System administrators should prioritize deployment of security patches from device manufacturers and ensure that all MediaTek-based devices receive timely updates. Additionally, implementing runtime monitoring solutions that detect anomalous kernel-level behavior and establishing network segmentation controls can help reduce the potential impact of exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies and restricting local application execution privileges where possible. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers 'Local Port Forwarding' and privilege escalation methods, and T1059, covering 'Command and Scripting Interpreter' techniques used to execute malicious code within compromised systems. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure driver development practices and proper input validation in kernel-level components.