CVE-2016-6735 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the NVIDIA GPU driver in Android before 2016-11-05 could enable a local malicious application to execute arbitrary code within the context of the kernel. This issue is rated as Critical due to the possibility of a local permanent device compromise, which may require reflashing the operating system to repair the device. Android ID: A-30907701. References: NVIDIA N-CVE-2016-6735.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6735 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the NVIDIA GPU driver component of Android systems prior to the 2016-11-05 security update. This weakness exists at the kernel level and specifically affects devices utilizing NVIDIA's graphics processing unit hardware, creating a pathway for local malicious applications to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary code with kernel-level permissions. The vulnerability's classification as critical stems from its potential to provide attackers with complete control over the device's operating system, effectively allowing them to bypass all standard security boundaries and access sensitive system resources.
The technical nature of this flaw involves improper input validation and privilege management within the GPU driver's kernel module implementation. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious applications that leverage specific kernel interfaces exposed by the NVIDIA driver, ultimately enabling them to manipulate kernel memory structures and execute code with the highest system privileges. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-264, which encompasses permissions, privileges, and access control issues, and represents a classic case of kernel-level privilege escalation where user-mode applications gain unauthorized access to kernel-mode execution contexts. The exploitation process likely involves manipulating driver IOCTL (Input/Output Control) interfaces or memory management functions that lack proper authorization checks.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-6735 extends far beyond simple privilege escalation, as it creates a permanent compromise state that can render devices inoperable without significant recovery efforts. Once exploited, the malicious code can modify critical system components, install persistent backdoors, or corrupt system files in ways that standard recovery mechanisms cannot address. The requirement for full system reflashing indicates that the vulnerability allows attackers to fundamentally alter the device's boot process or core system integrity, making it impossible to simply restart the device or reinstall applications to resolve the compromise. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which describes the use of local privilege escalation to gain system-level access, and demonstrates how such vulnerabilities can be weaponized for persistent device compromise.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security posture improvements. The primary solution involves applying the official Android security patch released on 2016-11-05, which includes updated NVIDIA GPU drivers with proper privilege validation and input sanitization mechanisms. Organizations should also implement comprehensive device monitoring to detect unusual kernel-level activity that might indicate exploitation attempts, while maintaining regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other system components. Additionally, security teams should establish incident response procedures specifically designed to handle complete device compromise scenarios, including protocols for secure device reinstallation and data recovery. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of timely patch management and the potential consequences of kernel-level flaws in mobile operating systems, particularly given that the affected NVIDIA drivers were widely deployed across various Android device models.