CVE-2016-10486 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Automobile and Snapdragon Mobile MDM9640, MDM9645, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 450, SD 617, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, and SD 820A, PD failure reason string from user PD is used directly in root PD, so if the buffer parameter is non-NULL terminated in Diag F3 APIs, a buffer overread occurs.
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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 Diag F3 APIs where a buffer overread condition occurs when processing failure reason strings from user PD (Packet Data) to root PD (Packet Data) contexts. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation where the system directly uses user-provided buffer parameters without ensuring proper null termination before processing. This specific implementation issue affects multiple Snapdragon chipset variants including MDM9640, MDM9645, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 450, SD 617, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, and SD 820A chipsets. The technical implementation fails to validate buffer boundaries and string termination states, creating a predictable attack surface for malicious actors who can craft specifically formatted input data to trigger the overread condition. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes buffer access violations, and represents a classic example of improper input validation leading to memory corruption. The operational impact extends beyond simple data corruption as this overread condition can potentially expose sensitive memory contents, facilitate information disclosure attacks, and may provide attackers with insights into memory layout structures. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to extract kernel memory contents, potentially enabling privilege escalation or further exploitation of adjacent system components. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would fall within the T1059.001 technique for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers might use the information disclosure to craft more sophisticated attacks targeting the underlying system architecture. The issue demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where input validation occurs too late in the processing pipeline, allowing malformed data to propagate through system layers before proper boundary checks are applied. Organizations should prioritize applying the relevant security patches released by Qualcomm and Android vendors to address this vulnerability. System administrators should also implement monitoring for anomalous Diag F3 API usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The patching process requires careful consideration of device compatibility and potential regression issues in automotive systems where stability is paramount. Additionally, implementing input sanitization at the API boundary and adding proper buffer boundary checks would provide defense-in-depth protection against similar vulnerabilities in future implementations.