CVE-2016-10411 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 430, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 617, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, and SD 835, RTP daemon crashes and terminates VT call when UE receives RTCP unknown APP packet report which caused the parser to miss an end of RTCP packet length and go on forever looking for it, even going beyond the limits of the RTCP Packet length.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2020
This vulnerability affects Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile chipsets across multiple generations including SD 210/212/205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 430, SD 450, SD 615/16/415, SD 617, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, and SD 835 processors. The issue resides in the RTP daemon component responsible for handling real-time transport protocol communications during voice calls. When a user equipment device receives an RTCP (Real-time Transport Control Protocol) packet containing an unknown application-specific packet report, the parser fails to properly identify the end of the RTCP packet structure. This parsing error causes the system to continuously search for a packet termination marker that never arrives, leading to an infinite loop condition. The vulnerability represents a classic buffer over-read and parsing failure scenario that has been classified under CWE-129 as improper validation of array index. The flaw specifically impacts the VoIP call functionality on affected Android devices, as the RTP daemon handles the media stream processing during voice transmission.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potential system instability and denial of service conditions. When the RTP daemon enters the infinite loop state, it consumes excessive processing resources and can cause the entire voice call system to crash. This results in immediate termination of video calls and audio sessions, creating a significant degradation of service for end users. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it occurs during normal call operations when receiving legitimate network traffic, making it difficult for users to predict or avoid the condition. The attack vector requires only the receipt of a specially crafted RTCP packet from the network, which can be generated by malicious actors or potentially exploited through compromised network infrastructure. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks, where adversaries can disrupt communication services through protocol manipulation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in packet parsing logic within the Qualcomm Snapdragon modem firmware. The parser's inability to handle unknown packet types gracefully leads to a resource exhaustion condition where the daemon becomes unresponsive to legitimate traffic. This represents a failure in input validation and error handling mechanisms that should have been implemented to prevent such infinite loops during packet processing. The vulnerability affects devices running Android versions prior to the 2018-04-05 security patch level, indicating that Qualcomm and Google had identified this issue but required time to develop and distribute the appropriate firmware updates. The specific nature of the flaw suggests that the RTCP packet length field parsing logic does not properly validate the packet boundaries or implement timeout mechanisms to prevent indefinite searching for packet terminators. Organizations should implement immediate patch management strategies to address this vulnerability, ensuring that all affected Snapdragon-based devices receive the necessary security updates. Additionally, network administrators should monitor for unusual RTCP packet patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while device manufacturers should review their modem firmware implementations to prevent similar parsing errors in future deployments.