CVE-2016-10293 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability in the Qualcomm video driver could enable a local malicious application to access data outside of its permission levels. This issue is rated as Moderate because it first requires compromising a privileged process. Product: Android. Versions: Kernel-3.10. Android ID: A-33352393. References: QC-CR#1101943.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2016-10293 represents a significant information disclosure flaw within the Qualcomm video driver component of Android systems running kernel version 3.10. This issue resides in the kernel-level graphics subsystem that handles video processing operations, creating a potential pathway for unauthorized data access that bypasses normal permission boundaries. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the driver level where privileged processes interact with hardware resources, making it a critical component in the overall security architecture of mobile devices.
The technical nature of this flaw stems from improper access control mechanisms within the Qualcomm video driver implementation. When a malicious application attempts to access video processing resources, the driver fails to properly validate memory access permissions, allowing unauthorized data retrieval from memory regions that should be restricted to privileged processes. This type of vulnerability typically manifests through inadequate input validation or missing boundary checks in kernel-space code that handles video frame buffer operations and hardware abstraction layer interactions. The issue specifically affects the graphics processing unit driver components that manage video decoding and encoding operations, creating a window where user-space applications can potentially access kernel memory spaces or data structures that contain sensitive information.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability requires an initial compromise of a privileged process to achieve full exploitation, which places it in the moderate severity category according to standard risk assessment methodologies. The attack vector typically involves a malicious application that first gains elevated privileges through another vulnerability or social engineering tactic, then leverages the information disclosure weakness to extract sensitive data from kernel memory regions. This could include device-specific identifiers, cryptographic keys, user credentials, or other confidential information stored in memory during video processing operations. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as it could potentially enable further escalation attacks or provide attackers with insights needed to compromise additional system components.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses "Information Disclosure," and represents a classic case of improper access control in kernel drivers. According to ATT&CK framework, this weakness maps to T1059.007 for process injection techniques and T1068 for local privilege escalation, as attackers would need to first establish a foothold before exploiting this information disclosure vulnerability. The affected Android ID A-33352393 indicates this was tracked as a specific security concern within Qualcomm's internal vulnerability management system, highlighting the recognition of this issue within the mobile security community. Organizations should implement mitigations including kernel updates, driver patches, and enhanced monitoring of kernel memory access patterns to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-10293 should focus on immediate patch deployment through official Android security updates and Qualcomm driver releases. System administrators should also implement memory protection mechanisms such as kernel address space layout randomization and enhanced privilege separation controls. Regular security assessments of kernel modules and driver components should be conducted to identify similar access control vulnerabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices in kernel-space drivers, particularly around memory management and access control validation. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting and runtime monitoring to detect anomalous memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular vulnerability scanning of mobile device firmware and kernel components remains essential for early detection of similar issues that may arise in the future.