CVE-2016-6679 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
CORE/HDD/src/wlan_hdd_hostapd.c in the Qualcomm Wi-Fi driver in Android before 2016-10-05 on Nexus 5X and Android One devices allows attackers to obtain sensitive information via a crafted application that makes a setwpaie ioctl call, aka Android internal bug 29915601 and Qualcomm internal bug CR 1000913.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6679 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Qualcomm Wi-Fi driver implementation on Android devices. This issue resides in the wlan_hdd_hostapd.c source file within the CORE/HDD/src directory of the Android kernel codebase, specifically affecting Nexus 5X and Android One devices running Android versions prior to the security patch released on October 5, 2016. The flaw manifests through a crafted application exploiting the setwpaie ioctl system call, which provides unauthorized access to sensitive system information that should remain protected from user-space applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and privilege escalation within the Wi-Fi driver's ioctl handling mechanism. When a malicious application invokes the setwpaie ioctl call, the driver fails to properly validate the input parameters and lacks adequate access controls to prevent unauthorized information retrieval. This weakness allows attackers to extract sensitive data including but not limited to wireless network credentials, authentication keys, and other confidential information stored within the driver's memory space. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level, making it particularly dangerous as it bypasses standard user-space security mechanisms and operates with elevated privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, creating potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks within the Android security model. Attackers can leverage this flaw to gain insights into the device's wireless configuration, potentially enabling them to perform man-in-the-middle attacks, eavesdrop on wireless communications, or establish persistent access to the device. The vulnerability affects devices that rely on Qualcomm's proprietary Wi-Fi driver implementation, making it particularly concerning for a large subset of Android devices released in 2015 and early 2016. This issue directly relates to CWE-200, which addresses "Information Exposure," and represents a failure in proper privilege separation within kernel space operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-6679 primarily involve applying the security patches released by Google and Qualcomm as part of the Android security updates. Device manufacturers should ensure that users update their systems to Android versions that include the patched Qualcomm Wi-Fi driver components. Additionally, organizations should implement network monitoring to detect anomalous wireless behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper kernel-level input validation and access control mechanisms, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers "Local Privilege Escalation" through kernel exploits. Users should be advised to avoid installing untrusted applications that might attempt to exploit this vulnerability, and system administrators should consider implementing device management policies that enforce timely security updates. The flaw underscores the necessity of comprehensive security testing for kernel modules and the importance of maintaining up-to-date device firmware to prevent exploitation of such critical vulnerabilities.