CVE-2016-10472 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9650, MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 430, SD 450, SD 600, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 617, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, SD 835, and SDX20, address and size passed to SCM command 'TZ_INFO_GET_SECURE_STATE_LEGACY_ID' from HLOS Kernel were not being checked, so access outside DDR would occur.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2020
This vulnerability exists in Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile and wearable chipsets affecting Android devices with security patch levels prior to 2018-04-05. The flaw resides in the Secure Core Module (SCM) command implementation where the 'TZ_INFO_GET_SECURE_STATE_LEGACY_ID' function fails to validate the address and size parameters provided by the Host Linux Operating System (HLOS) kernel. This represents a critical memory access control vulnerability that allows unauthorized access to memory regions outside the designated DDR (Dynamically Dispersed RAM) boundaries. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the trusted execution environment's kernel interface, creating a pathway for malicious actors to potentially read or write to unauthorized memory locations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic buffer over-read condition within the secure firmware layer. When the HLOS kernel invokes the SCM command with specified address and size parameters, the secure monitor fails to perform bounds checking on these values before executing memory operations. This allows an attacker with kernel-level privileges or exploitation capabilities to manipulate the command parameters and access memory regions that should remain protected. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Qualcomm chipsets including the MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9650, MSM8909W, and numerous SD series processors, indicating a systemic issue within the Qualcomm secure execution environment implementation. The lack of parameter validation creates a direct pathway for memory corruption and potential privilege escalation attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory access violations and represents a significant threat to device security and integrity. An attacker could potentially exploit this weakness to extract sensitive information from secure memory regions, modify critical system data, or establish persistent backdoors within the device's trusted execution environment. The vulnerability affects devices that rely on Qualcomm's secure boot and trusted execution framework, potentially compromising the entire security architecture. Given that this affects Android devices with patch levels prior to April 2018, millions of devices worldwide could be vulnerable, particularly those in enterprise environments where security is paramount. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129 Input Validation and Output Processing, specifically addressing improper validation of input parameters in secure system components. This weakness creates opportunities for attackers to perform privilege escalation attacks through the ATT&CK technique of privilege escalation via kernel exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected devices with the appropriate security updates from device manufacturers. Organizations should prioritize updating all affected Qualcomm-based devices to security patch levels released after April 2018, ensuring that the kernel-level SCM command implementations include proper parameter validation. Device manufacturers must implement comprehensive input validation checks for all secure command interfaces, particularly those involving memory address and size parameters. System administrators should monitor for unauthorized kernel module installations and implement runtime protections against suspicious memory access patterns. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure firmware development practices and proper input validation within trusted execution environments, aligning with industry standards for secure mobile device security. Additionally, regular security audits of kernel-level interfaces and secure firmware components should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future implementations.