CVE-2016-3859 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
The Qualcomm camera driver in Android before 2016-09-05 on Nexus 5, 5X, 6, and 6P devices allows attackers to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka Android internal bug 28815326 and Qualcomm internal bug CR1034641.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3859 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the Qualcomm camera driver component of Android operating systems. This vulnerability specifically affected Nexus 5, 5X, 6, and 6P devices running Android versions prior to the 2016-09-05 security patch release. The flaw stems from improper input validation and privilege handling within the camera driver's kernel space implementation, creating a pathway for malicious applications to elevate their privileges from standard user level to system level access. The vulnerability was tracked internally by both Android and Qualcomm as bug numbers 28815326 and CR1034641 respectively, indicating the severity and cross-vendor recognition of the issue. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and specifically relates to privilege escalation through kernel driver flaws.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a crafted application that manipulates the camera driver's interface to trigger a buffer overflow or similar memory corruption issue. When the malicious application interacts with the camera subsystem, it can manipulate kernel memory structures or function pointers, allowing it to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. The camera driver, which typically operates with elevated permissions to access hardware components, becomes a vector for attackers to bypass Android's security model. This attack vector is particularly dangerous because it leverages the legitimate camera functionality that users expect to be available, making detection more challenging. The vulnerability enables attackers to gain root access to the device, potentially allowing them to install malicious applications, extract sensitive data, modify system files, or establish persistent backdoors. This privilege escalation capability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation', and T1059, covering 'Command and Scripting Interpreter', as the attacker can now execute commands with system-level privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond individual device compromise to represent a significant threat to mobile security ecosystems. Devices running affected Android versions became vulnerable to sophisticated attacks that could potentially affect millions of users, particularly since the Nexus line represented Google's flagship devices for testing and development. The vulnerability's exploitation required no special user interaction beyond installing a malicious application, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users might unknowingly download compromised applications. Once exploited, attackers could access all device data, including photos, videos, contacts, messages, and sensitive personal information. The vulnerability also enabled the installation of persistent malware that could survive device reboots and remain undetected by standard security applications. Organizations using these devices for enterprise purposes faced significant risk, as the compromise of a single device could potentially lead to broader network infiltration. The vulnerability highlighted the critical importance of timely security patch management and the inherent risks associated with kernel-level drivers in mobile operating systems. This flaw demonstrated how vendor-specific driver implementations could introduce security gaps that were not immediately apparent in the broader Android security architecture, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing of all system components including hardware drivers and their integration with operating system frameworks.