CVE-2016-10297 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In TrustZone in all Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel, a Time-of-Check Time-of-Use Race Condition vulnerability could potentially exist.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/14/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10297 represents a critical race condition flaw within the TrustZone security architecture of Android devices that utilize Qualcomm chipsets and the Linux kernel. This issue stems from the fundamental timing discrepancy between when a system checks for security parameters and when those parameters are actually enforced, creating a window where malicious actors can exploit the temporal gap to bypass security controls. The vulnerability affects all Android releases from Qualcomm Android Framework (CAF) implementations, indicating a widespread impact across multiple device generations and manufacturers who rely on Qualcomm's secure processing capabilities.
The technical flaw manifests as a Time-of-Check Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) race condition that occurs within the TrustZone environment, which is designed to provide a secure execution environment separate from the main operating system. This race condition allows an attacker to manipulate system state between the moment when a security check is performed and when the corresponding action is executed, potentially enabling privilege escalation or unauthorized access to protected resources. The vulnerability specifically impacts the Linux kernel implementation used in Qualcomm-based Android devices, where the secure world and normal world contexts interact in ways that create exploitable timing windows. The flaw is categorized under CWE-367, which specifically addresses Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use race conditions, making it a well-documented class of security vulnerabilities that have been extensively studied in the cybersecurity community.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can potentially allow attackers to gain access to sensitive cryptographic keys, system credentials, or other protected data that should remain isolated within the TrustZone secure environment. Attackers could leverage this race condition to execute arbitrary code within the secure world, effectively undermining the entire security model that TrustZone was designed to protect. The implications are particularly severe for mobile devices where TrustZone is responsible for protecting sensitive operations such as biometric authentication, secure boot processes, and cryptographic key management. This vulnerability could enable attackers to compromise the integrity of the device's security framework, potentially leading to full device compromise or the ability to extract confidential information that was supposed to be protected by hardware-level security features.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-10297 require a multi-layered approach that addresses both the immediate security gap and the underlying architectural issues. Device manufacturers should implement kernel-level patches that synchronize the check and use operations to eliminate the race condition window, while also ensuring proper locking mechanisms are in place to prevent concurrent access to vulnerable resources. The solution should include updates to the Qualcomm kernel components and potentially modifications to the TrustZone firmware to enforce stricter timing controls. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous behavior patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques related to privilege escalation and defense evasion, as attackers could use it to bypass security controls and maintain persistent access to the device. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar race conditions in other security-critical components, as this class of vulnerability often indicates deeper architectural weaknesses that may affect other system components.