CVE-2016-6748 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability in Qualcomm components including the GPU driver, power driver, SMSM Point-to-Point driver, and sound driver in Android before 2016-11-05 could enable a local malicious application to access data outside of its permission levels. This issue is rated as Moderate because it first requires compromising a privileged process. Android ID: A-30076504. References: Qualcomm QC-CR#987018.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2022
This vulnerability represents a significant information disclosure flaw within Qualcomm's Android kernel components that affects multiple critical drivers including GPU, power management, SMSM Point-to-Point communication, and audio subsystems. The issue stems from improper access control mechanisms that allow local malicious applications to escalate their privileges and access data beyond their intended permission boundaries. The vulnerability exists in Android versions prior to the 2016-11-05 security patch release, creating a window of opportunity for attackers to exploit these driver-level weaknesses. From a cybersecurity perspective, this represents a privilege escalation vulnerability that operates at the kernel level, enabling attackers to bypass standard Android security models that typically isolate applications from each other and from system resources. The vulnerability is classified as moderate severity because it requires initial compromise of a privileged process as a prerequisite, but this requirement does not diminish its potential impact on system security.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves improper kernel driver validation where Qualcomm's drivers fail to properly enforce access controls for sensitive data structures and memory regions. When a malicious application attempts to interact with these drivers, the kernel does not adequately verify the requesting process's privileges or permissions, allowing unauthorized access to system resources. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes inadequate access control mechanisms, and represents a classic example of insufficient privilege checking in kernel-level components. The specific drivers affected demonstrate a pattern of weak security boundaries where the communication interfaces between user-space applications and kernel drivers lack proper authentication and authorization checks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with pathways to access sensitive system data that could include user credentials, personal information, or system configuration details. The fact that multiple drivers are affected suggests a systemic weakness in Qualcomm's driver development practices, where similar access control flaws exist across different kernel subsystems. Attackers could potentially leverage this vulnerability to extract confidential information, monitor system activities, or establish persistent access to compromised devices. This vulnerability particularly affects mobile devices where users expect strong isolation between applications and system resources, making it a significant concern for enterprise security and personal privacy protection. The attack vector requires local execution privileges, meaning that exploitation typically occurs through pre-existing compromise or social engineering attacks that gain initial access to a device.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve applying the Android security patches released on or after 2016-11-05, which contain fixes for the affected Qualcomm drivers and kernel components. Organizations should prioritize patch management to ensure all devices receive the necessary updates, as the vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that attackers can exploit to gain unauthorized access to system resources. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions to detect anomalous behavior in kernel driver interactions and consider deploying mobile device management solutions that can enforce security policies and track device compliance with security updates. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and information gathering activities, making it particularly relevant for defensive security teams who need to understand the attack chains that lead to persistent access and data exfiltration. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure driver development practices and proper access control implementation in embedded systems and mobile platforms where kernel-level security is paramount.