CVE-2016-10409 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Automobile and Snapdragon Mobile SD 425, SD 430, SD 450, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 820, SD 820A, and SD 835, TOCTOU vulnerability may occur while composing the RPMB request using HLOS controlled buffers.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2020
This vulnerability represents a time-of-check to time-of-use issue that affects Qualcomm Snapdragon automotive and mobile platforms running Android versions prior to the 2018-04-05 security patch level. The flaw manifests in the RPMB (Replay Protected Memory Block) request composition process where the system uses buffers controlled by the Host Local Operating System (HLOS) component. The vulnerability arises from a race condition where the system performs a check on buffer contents or properties at one point in time, but then uses those same buffers at a later point when their state may have changed, creating opportunities for malicious manipulation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the hardware security subsystem of Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors, specifically affecting automotive and mobile platforms that utilize RPMB for secure storage operations. The HLOS controlled buffers serve as intermediaries in the RPMB request processing pipeline, where the system validates buffer parameters during the initial check phase but fails to revalidate these parameters before actual data processing occurs. This architectural gap allows for potential exploitation through buffer manipulation attacks that could alter the intended behavior of the RPMB subsystem.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple automotive and mobile device categories, affecting Snapdragon platforms including SD 425, SD 430, SD 450, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 820, SD 820A, and SD 835 processors. Devices utilizing these chips in automotive applications are particularly at risk as they rely heavily on secure storage mechanisms for critical systems such as infotainment, telematics, and vehicle control functions. The vulnerability could potentially enable attackers to manipulate secure data storage operations, compromise the integrity of sensitive information, or gain unauthorized access to protected system components that depend on RPMB for security.
Security implications of this vulnerability align with CWE-367 Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) weakness classification, which is categorized under the broader category of security misconfigurations and race condition vulnerabilities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and credential access through system-level manipulation. The exploitation of this vulnerability would likely require local access to the device and could potentially be leveraged to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within the secure subsystem. Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper buffer validation mechanisms, introducing additional consistency checks between the check and use phases, and ensuring that security patches are applied promptly to address this specific race condition in the HLOS controlled buffer management.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper synchronization mechanisms in security-critical code paths, particularly in embedded systems where hardware and software security features must work in concert. The issue highlights the challenges inherent in designing secure systems where multiple components must coordinate their operations while maintaining consistent state throughout the execution lifecycle. The affected platforms represent a significant portion of automotive and mobile devices, making this vulnerability particularly concerning from a widespread impact perspective. Organizations should prioritize patch management processes and conduct thorough security assessments of their deployed systems to ensure complete remediation of this vulnerability across all affected Snapdragon-based platforms.