CVE-2016-6677 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
The NVIDIA GPU driver in Android before 2016-10-05 on Nexus 9 devices allows attackers to obtain sensitive information via a crafted application, aka internal bug 30259955.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6677 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the NVIDIA GPU driver component of Android operating systems. This issue specifically affected Nexus 9 devices running Android versions prior to the October 2016 security patch release, creating a significant security risk for users of these devices. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within the GPU driver's kernel space components, which are responsible for handling graphics processing tasks and managing hardware resources. Attackers could exploit this weakness through a malicious application that leverages crafted memory access patterns to read sensitive data from kernel memory regions that should remain protected from user-space applications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through improper access control mechanisms within the GPU driver's memory management subsystem. When a malicious application attempts to interact with GPU resources, the driver fails to properly validate memory access requests, allowing unauthorized data retrieval from protected kernel memory areas. This flaw operates at the kernel level and specifically targets the GPU driver's interface with the Android operating system's memory management system. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-200, which deals with information exposure, and represents a classic case of insufficient access control in kernel-level drivers. The attack vector involves a crafted application that can manipulate GPU memory operations to extract sensitive information such as cryptographic keys, user credentials, or other confidential data stored in memory regions that should be inaccessible to regular applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-6677 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with potential access to critical system resources that could facilitate further exploitation. This vulnerability allows for privilege escalation and can enable attackers to extract sensitive information from the device's memory space, potentially compromising user data and system integrity. The flaw affects devices running Android versions before the October 2016 security update, making all Nexus 9 devices vulnerable to this attack vector. The risk is particularly elevated because GPU drivers operate with high privileges and have direct access to hardware resources, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking to gain deeper system access. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which involves executing commands through kernel-level interfaces, and represents a pathway for attackers to move laterally within the system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-6677 primarily focus on applying the official Android security patches released by Google in October 2016. Device users should immediately update their Nexus 9 devices to the latest Android security patch level, which includes fixes for the NVIDIA GPU driver memory management issues. System administrators and security professionals should also implement monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts through unusual GPU memory access patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper kernel memory management and access control mechanisms, which are fundamental to maintaining system security. Organizations should conduct vulnerability assessments to identify all affected devices and ensure timely patch deployment. Additionally, implementing application sandboxing and restricting GPU driver access permissions can provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities in the future. The fix addresses the root cause by strengthening input validation and access control checks within the GPU driver's memory management functions, ensuring that user-space applications cannot access protected kernel memory regions through improper memory access patterns.