CVE-2016-10343 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In all Qualcomm products with Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel, sSL handshake failure with ClientHello rejection results in memory leak.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/08/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10343 represents a memory management issue within Qualcomm Snapdragon processors that utilize Android-based systems with Linux kernel implementations. This flaw manifests during SSL/TLS handshake processes when the server rejects client connections due to ClientHello message failures. The root cause lies in improper memory deallocation mechanisms that fail to release allocated memory segments when SSL handshake failures occur, leading to gradual memory consumption over time. This issue affects all Qualcomm products that incorporate Android releases from the Code Aurora Forum (CAF) and operate on Linux kernel architectures, making it particularly widespread across mobile device ecosystems that rely on Qualcomm hardware components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the SSL/TLS protocol handling within the Linux kernel's networking stack on Qualcomm devices. When a client initiates an SSL handshake with a server and the server rejects the connection due to ClientHello message validation failures, the system should properly release all allocated memory resources. However, the memory leak occurs because the kernel implementation fails to execute proper cleanup routines in error conditions. This flaw specifically impacts the TLS handshake process where the server rejects the initial ClientHello message, causing the memory allocation for processing that handshake to remain unreleased. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-401 as a failure to release memory resources, representing a classic memory leak scenario within cryptographic protocol implementations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple resource exhaustion, creating potential system stability issues and performance degradation across affected Qualcomm-based devices. As memory leaks accumulate over time, devices may experience reduced performance, application crashes, or even complete system instability during periods of high network activity or frequent connection attempts. The memory consumption pattern is particularly concerning in mobile environments where system resources are limited and efficient memory management is critical for maintaining device responsiveness. Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability by repeatedly initiating SSL connections that fail during the ClientHello phase, gradually depleting system memory and potentially causing denial of service conditions that affect device usability and network connectivity.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require both software and firmware updates from Qualcomm and device manufacturers to address the memory management implementation in the Linux kernel. System administrators and device users should prioritize installing security patches that correct the memory deallocation routines during SSL handshake failures. The fix typically involves implementing proper error handling mechanisms that ensure all allocated memory segments are released regardless of handshake success or failure conditions. Additionally, monitoring system memory usage patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts, while network administrators should consider implementing connection rate limiting and monitoring for unusual SSL handshake behavior. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499 which covers resource exhaustion attacks, and represents a critical security gap that requires immediate remediation to prevent potential exploitation for denial of service attacks against Qualcomm-based mobile devices.