CVE-2016-10471 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, and SD 820A, an unsigned RTIC health report susceptible to tampering by malware executing in the context of the HLOS may be requested.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2020
This vulnerability exists in Qualcomm Snapdragon automotive and mobile platforms affecting Android versions prior to the 2018-04-05 security patch level. The flaw resides in the RTIC (Real-Time Integrity Checker) health reporting mechanism which fails to properly validate the integrity of health reports generated by the system. The vulnerability stems from insufficient cryptographic validation of RTIC health reports, allowing malicious actors with HLOS (Hardware Layer Operating System) privileges to manipulate these reports without detection. This represents a critical security weakness in the automotive and mobile device security architecture where system integrity monitoring can be bypassed through tampering of health status information.
The technical implementation flaw involves the absence of proper digital signatures or cryptographic verification mechanisms within the RTIC health reporting process. When an unsigned health report is generated, the system does not enforce integrity checks that would normally prevent unauthorized modifications. This allows malware operating within the HLOS context to modify health report data, potentially masking malicious activities or presenting false system status information. The vulnerability specifically impacts Snapdragon platforms including SD 425, SD 430, SD 450, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 820, and SD 820A chipsets, which are widely deployed in automotive infotainment systems and mobile devices. This weakness enables attackers to circumvent security monitoring systems that rely on these health reports for detecting system anomalies or malicious activities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it compromises the integrity of system health monitoring capabilities that are critical for automotive safety and mobile device security. Attackers could potentially hide malicious software installations, disguise system compromise, or manipulate diagnostic information that automotive systems depend upon for proper operation. In automotive contexts, this vulnerability could affect vehicle safety systems that rely on health monitoring of critical components, potentially leading to undetected system failures or security breaches that compromise vehicle operation. The vulnerability affects the fundamental trust model of the system's integrity checking mechanisms, undermining the security posture of devices that depend on these platforms.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper cryptographic validation of RTIC health reports, ensuring that all system health information is digitally signed and verified before acceptance. System administrators should apply the latest security patches released by Qualcomm and Android to address this vulnerability. The implementation of secure boot processes and runtime integrity verification mechanisms can help prevent unauthorized modifications to health reporting systems. Additionally, organizations should implement monitoring solutions that can detect anomalies in system health reporting patterns, as well as establish secure communication channels for health report transmission that prevent tampering during data transfer. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-347, which addresses improper verification of cryptographic signatures, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1553.002 related to code signing and T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter attacks.