CVE-2016-10291 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Qualcomm Slimbus 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: Kernel-3.10. Android ID: A-34030871. References: QC-CR#986837.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10291 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the Qualcomm Slimbus driver component of Android systems running kernel version 3.10. This issue falls under the category of kernel-level vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious applications to gain unauthorized access to system resources and execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The Slimbus driver serves as a critical interface for audio and multimedia communication within Qualcomm-based Android devices, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise device security.
The technical flaw stems from improper input validation and privilege management within the Slimbus driver implementation. Specifically, the vulnerability allows a local malicious application to exploit a flaw in how the driver handles certain kernel-level operations, potentially enabling privilege escalation from a regular user context to kernel-level execution. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-264, which categorizes improper privilege management as a fundamental security weakness. The attack vector requires initial compromise of a privileged process, which then provides the malicious application with the necessary foothold to escalate privileges and execute code within the kernel context, bypassing standard security boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of Android devices running affected kernel versions. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain complete control over affected devices, potentially enabling data exfiltration, persistent backdoor installation, or further exploitation of other system components. The vulnerability's high rating reflects the complexity of the attack requirements, as it necessitates first compromising a privileged process before executing the actual privilege escalation. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting kernel-level attacks that bypass standard Android security controls.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-10291 should focus on immediate patching of the affected Qualcomm Slimbus driver components and kernel updates to address the underlying privilege management flaws. System administrators and device manufacturers should prioritize applying security patches released by Qualcomm and Android security teams to remediate this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing runtime monitoring and behavioral analysis of kernel-level operations can help detect anomalous activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider network segmentation and application whitelisting to limit the potential impact of compromised privileged processes. The vulnerability highlights the importance of comprehensive security testing for kernel drivers and proper input validation mechanisms to prevent similar privilege escalation scenarios.