CVE-2016-3873 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
The NVIDIA kernel in Android before 2016-09-05 on Nexus 9 devices allows attackers to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka internal bug 29518457.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3873 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the NVIDIA kernel implementation on Android devices, specifically affecting Nexus 9 models released prior to the 2016-09-05 security patch cycle. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and privilege checking mechanisms within the kernel-level components responsible for managing hardware acceleration and graphics processing capabilities. The flaw enables malicious applications to exploit kernel-level functions and elevate their privileges from standard user-level processes to kernel-level execution, thereby gaining complete system control. The vulnerability was internally tracked as bug 29518457, indicating its discovery within NVIDIA's internal development and quality assurance processes.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a carefully crafted application that leverages specific kernel function calls or memory manipulation techniques to bypass existing security controls. The NVIDIA kernel driver, which handles graphics processing unit operations and hardware acceleration features, contains a flaw in its privilege validation logic that allows unauthorized access to kernel memory regions and execution contexts. This particular vulnerability falls under the CWE-269 privilege escalation category, where insufficient privileges are checked during kernel operations, enabling unauthorized access to privileged functions. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious applications that interact with the vulnerable kernel interfaces, potentially through buffer overflow conditions or improper access control checks that allow arbitrary code execution in kernel space.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-3873 is severe and far-reaching for affected Nexus 9 devices, as it provides attackers with complete system compromise capabilities. Once exploited, the vulnerability allows malicious actors to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, enabling them to modify system files, install persistent backdoors, access encrypted data, and bypass all Android security mechanisms including SELinux policies and application sandboxing. The vulnerability affects the core Android security architecture by undermining the fundamental principle of privilege separation between user-space applications and kernel-space operations, creating a pathway for attackers to gain root access and effectively take complete control of the device. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in the context of mobile security and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers 'Local Privilege Escalation' through kernel exploits.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate deployment of the security patches released by Google as part of their Android security updates for the 2016-09-05 cycle. Users should ensure their Nexus 9 devices receive the latest firmware updates, which include fixes for the NVIDIA kernel privilege escalation flaw. System administrators and security teams should implement comprehensive device management policies to ensure all affected devices are updated promptly, particularly in enterprise environments where device security is paramount. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of kernel-level security controls and proper privilege enforcement mechanisms, reinforcing industry best practices for secure kernel development as outlined in the Open Web Application Security Project security guidelines. Additionally, organizations should implement mobile device management solutions that can automatically detect and remediate vulnerable devices through automated patch deployment mechanisms to prevent exploitation of this and similar kernel-level vulnerabilities.