CVE-2016-10414 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Small Cell SoC, Snapdragon Automobile, Snapdragon Mobile, and Snapdragon Wear FSM9055, IPQ4019, MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9625, MDM9635M, MDM9640, MDM9645, MDM9650, MDM9655, MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 430, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 617, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, SD 845, SD 850, and SDX20, when a hash is passed with zero datalength, the code returns an error, even though zero data length is valid.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2020
This vulnerability exists in Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC implementations across multiple automotive, mobile, and wearable platforms, affecting Android devices with security patches prior to April 5, 2018. The flaw manifests in the cryptographic hash function processing where the system incorrectly rejects valid inputs with zero data length, creating a potential denial of service condition. This issue stems from improper validation logic that fails to recognize that zero-length data is a legitimate input parameter for hash operations, violating the expected behavior of cryptographic primitives. The vulnerability specifically impacts the FSM9055, IPQ4019, and various MDM and MSM series processors, making it widespread across Qualcomm's embedded platform portfolio.
The technical implementation flaw represents a violation of proper hash function semantics where the code path fails to handle edge cases appropriately. When hash algorithms encounter zero-length data inputs, they should process this as a valid case returning a deterministic hash value, typically the hash of an empty string. However, the vulnerable implementation returns an error code instead, which can cause cascading failures in security operations that depend on hash functions. This behavior creates a condition where legitimate cryptographic operations are interrupted, potentially affecting secure boot processes, authentication mechanisms, or data integrity verification routines. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-252, which addresses "Unchecked Return Values" in security-critical operations, and specifically relates to improper input validation in cryptographic components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it can compromise the integrity of security-sensitive operations within the device. When hash functions fail to process zero-length inputs correctly, it may affect secure communication protocols, digital signature validation, or cryptographic key derivation processes that rely on these operations. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness to disrupt secure services or create conditions that might be leveraged in more sophisticated attacks, particularly in automotive or industrial IoT environments where these Qualcomm platforms are deployed. The vulnerability affects a broad range of devices from smartphones to automotive systems, making it particularly concerning for organizations managing large fleets of connected devices.
Mitigation strategies should focus on applying the relevant Android security patches released by Google and Qualcomm, ensuring that all affected devices receive the necessary updates to correct the hash function validation logic. Organizations should also implement monitoring to detect abnormal hash operation failures that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix typically involves modifying the cryptographic library code to properly handle zero-length data inputs according to standard hash function specifications, ensuring that the system returns the correct hash value for empty inputs rather than generating error conditions. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of thorough edge case testing in security-critical components and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage in exploitation scenarios where hash validation failures might be leveraged to disrupt system operations.