CVE-2016-10496 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile MDM9635M, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 410/12, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 808, and SD 810, A NULL pointer dereference can occur during an SSL handshake.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical NULL pointer dereference flaw in the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset family that affects Android devices released before the 2018-04-05 security patch level. The issue specifically manifests during SSL handshake operations within the network security stack, creating a potential denial of service condition that could be exploited by remote attackers. The vulnerability impacts a wide range of Qualcomm mobile processors including the MDM9635M, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 410/12, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 808, and SD 810 chipsets, indicating a widespread exposure across multiple generations of mobile hardware. The flaw falls under CWE-476 which specifically addresses NULL pointer dereference conditions, making it a classic example of improper null pointer handling in security-sensitive code paths. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a remote attack surface where malicious actors could initiate SSL connections to trigger the NULL pointer dereference, potentially causing the device to crash or become unresponsive during network communication attempts. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service as it could be leveraged to disrupt critical network services or provide a foothold for more sophisticated attacks targeting the underlying mobile platform. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1210 which involves exploitation of remote services through network-based attacks, specifically targeting the network stack components that handle secure communications. The security implications are particularly severe given that SSL handshakes are fundamental to secure communications on mobile devices, making this flaw a potential vector for widespread disruption across affected device populations. The vulnerability demonstrates how hardware-level implementation issues in chipset security components can create persistent exposure windows that affect entire device ecosystems, requiring comprehensive patching strategies across multiple software layers including bootloader, firmware, and Android framework components to achieve full remediation. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of security patches that address both the Android framework components and the Qualcomm chipset firmware to eliminate this exposure window and prevent potential exploitation by threat actors targeting mobile device security.