CVE-2016-10332 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In all Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel, stack protection was not enabled for secure applications.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical weakness in the Android security architecture where stack protection mechanisms were disabled for secure applications within the Linux kernel framework used by Qualcomm Android Framework. The issue affects all Android versions that utilize Qualcomm's kernel implementation, creating a fundamental gap in the system's defense-in-depth strategy. Stack protection mechanisms, including stack canaries and other buffer overflow detection techniques, are essential components that help prevent exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities by making it significantly more difficult for attackers to execute arbitrary code through stack-based buffer overflows. The absence of these protections in secure applications means that even applications designed to handle sensitive data or perform privileged operations become more susceptible to exploitation.
The technical flaw stems from the improper configuration of kernel compilation flags and security settings that disable stack protection features for applications classified as secure within the Android security model. This configuration oversight creates an environment where attackers can leverage traditional buffer overflow techniques to overwrite stack data structures and potentially gain unauthorized access to system resources. The vulnerability particularly impacts applications that handle sensitive information or operate with elevated privileges, as these applications become more vulnerable to exploitation than they would be with proper stack protection mechanisms in place. According to CWE standards, this represents a weakness in defensive design where security controls are not properly implemented or enabled, specifically categorized under CWE-676 and CWE-121.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond individual application security to affect the entire Android ecosystem's integrity and confidentiality. Secure applications that should operate in isolated environments become vulnerable to attacks that could compromise their data or elevate privileges to gain access to system resources. This weakness allows attackers to bypass security boundaries that should protect sensitive operations, potentially enabling privilege escalation attacks, data exfiltration, or system compromise. The vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to exploit other weaknesses in the system by first gaining access to secure applications through stack-based exploitation techniques. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques such as T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) as it provides a foundation for further exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from device manufacturers and system administrators. The primary solution involves enabling stack protection mechanisms for all secure applications through proper kernel configuration and compilation flags. This includes ensuring that stack canary support is enabled and that appropriate security hardening measures are applied to the kernel build process. Device vendors must update their kernel configurations to include proper stack protection settings and ensure that these settings are maintained across all Android versions that utilize Qualcomm's kernel implementation. Additionally, developers should conduct thorough security reviews of their applications to ensure that proper input validation and memory management practices are implemented to minimize the impact of any potential exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that stack protection mechanisms are properly functioning and that no additional vulnerabilities have been introduced through other security control failures.