CVE-2016-6693 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
sound/soc/msm/qdsp6v2/msm-ds2-dap-config.c in a Qualcomm QDSP6v2 driver in Android before 2016-10-05 allows attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via an invalid data length, aka Qualcomm internal bug CR 1027585.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6693 resides within the Qualcomm QDSP6v2 driver component of Android systems, specifically in the msm-ds2-dap-config.c file. This driver operates within the sound/soc/msm/qdsp6v2 directory structure, representing a critical subsystem responsible for audio processing and configuration within Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. The flaw manifests as a lack of proper input validation when handling data length parameters, creating a potential vector for malicious exploitation that could compromise system stability and functionality.
This vulnerability represents a classic buffer over-read condition that falls under the CWE-129 weakness category, specifically involving improper validation of input data lengths. The technical flaw occurs when the driver receives malformed data with an invalid length parameter, failing to properly sanitize or validate the incoming data before processing. The QDSP6v2 subsystem is responsible for digital signal processing operations in audio applications, making it a critical component for multimedia functionality. When attackers craft malicious input with incorrect data length specifications, the driver's insufficient validation mechanisms allow the system to proceed with processing invalid data, potentially leading to memory corruption or system instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as indicated by the unspecified other impacts mentioned in the CVE description. Attackers can leverage this weakness to cause system crashes, audio subsystem failures, or potentially escalate privileges within the audio processing context. The vulnerability affects Android versions prior to the 2016-10-05 security patch release, indicating that it remained unpatched for several months and could have been actively exploited in the wild. Systems utilizing Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, particularly those running vulnerable Android versions, would be susceptible to this issue, with potential consequences ranging from audio service interruptions to more severe system stability problems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve applying the security patches released by Qualcomm and Google as part of their regular Android security updates. Organizations should ensure their Android devices receive the October 2016 security update that addressed this specific flaw. System administrators should implement comprehensive vulnerability management processes to monitor and deploy security patches promptly across all affected devices. The fix typically involves adding proper bounds checking and input validation mechanisms within the msm-ds2-dap-config.c file to ensure that data length parameters fall within acceptable ranges before processing. Additionally, implementing runtime monitoring and intrusion detection systems can help identify potential exploitation attempts targeting this specific weakness, aligning with ATT&CK framework techniques related to privilege escalation and denial of service operations.