CVE-2016-10460 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile SD 835, SD 845, and SD 850, vendor specific opcodes may not have any packet length validation leading to buffer over-reads.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2020
This vulnerability affects Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile chipsets including the SD 835, SD 845, and SD 850 processors found in various android devices released before the 2018-04-05 security patch level. The flaw resides in vendor-specific opcodes that control communication between different processing units within the mobile platform. These opcodes lack proper packet length validation mechanisms, creating a critical buffer over-read condition that can be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability specifically targets the communication protocols used by Qualcomm's proprietary firmware components and system management units. When malformed packets are transmitted to these vulnerable opcodes, the system fails to validate the packet boundaries before processing, allowing attackers to read data from memory locations beyond the intended buffer limits. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-129 weakness category, which encompasses issues related to insufficient input validation and improper boundary checking in software implementations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data leakage, as it can enable attackers to extract sensitive information from the device's memory including cryptographic keys, user credentials, and application data. The exploitation potential is particularly concerning given that these chipsets were widely deployed across flagship android devices, making millions of users vulnerable to potential attacks. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to perform privilege escalation attacks or to gain unauthorized access to protected system components. The vulnerability represents a significant concern for mobile device security and demonstrates the risks associated with proprietary vendor implementations that may not adhere to the same security standards as open source components. According to the ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability could be categorized under privilege escalation techniques and information gathering methods, as it allows adversaries to extract sensitive data from system memory.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of security patches provided by device manufacturers and Qualcomm. Organizations should ensure that all affected devices receive the relevant security updates and that proper firmware validation procedures are implemented. System administrators should also consider monitoring for unusual network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of comprehensive input validation across all communication protocols, particularly in embedded systems where proprietary implementations may introduce unexpected security gaps. Device manufacturers should implement more rigorous testing procedures for vendor-specific opcodes and ensure that all packet processing functions include proper boundary checks and validation mechanisms. Additionally, regular security audits of proprietary firmware components can help identify similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in the wild.