CVE-2016-7990 in Galaxy
Summary
by MITRE
On Samsung Galaxy S4 through S7 devices, an integer overflow condition exists within libomacp.so when parsing OMACP messages (within WAP Push SMS messages) leading to a heap corruption that can result in Denial of Service and potentially remote code execution, a subset of SVE-2016-6542.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/21/2019
The vulnerability CVE-2016-7990 represents a critical integer overflow flaw affecting Samsung Galaxy S4 through S7 devices, specifically within the libomacp.so library responsible for processing OMACP (Open Mobile Alliance Client Provisioning) messages. This issue arises during the parsing of WAP Push SMS messages, which are commonly used for mobile provisioning and service updates. The vulnerability falls under the broader category of SVE-2016-6542, indicating its relationship to other related security flaws in Samsung's mobile platform. The affected devices span multiple generations of Samsung's flagship smartphones, making this a widespread concern across a significant portion of the mobile user base.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the libomacp.so library processes OMACP messages without proper bounds checking on integer values. When parsing the message structure, the library performs arithmetic operations that can cause integer overflow conditions, particularly when handling certain field values within the OMACP protocol. This integer overflow results in heap corruption, as the library attempts to allocate memory based on the overflowed integer values. The heap corruption creates a scenario where memory pointers become invalid or corrupted, leading to unpredictable behavior in the application. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through standard SMS messaging, requiring no special privileges or user interaction beyond receiving an SMS message.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-7990 extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enabling remote code execution capabilities. When heap corruption occurs, attackers can manipulate the memory layout of the application, potentially allowing them to inject malicious code or redirect execution flow. The Denial of Service aspect manifests as application crashes or complete device freezes, while the remote code execution potential could allow attackers to gain full control over the affected device. This vulnerability represents a significant risk to mobile device security, as SMS messages can be sent from any number, making it difficult for users to protect themselves. The exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to complete device compromise, data theft, or the installation of malware on the affected devices.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-7990 primarily focus on applying the relevant security patches provided by Samsung, which address the integer overflow condition in the libomacp.so library. Users should ensure their devices are updated to the latest firmware versions that contain fixes for this vulnerability. Network administrators and security professionals should implement SMS filtering mechanisms to block suspicious OMACP messages, particularly those from unknown or untrusted sources. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which describes integer overflow conditions, and represents a typical example of how improper input validation can lead to memory corruption vulnerabilities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be categorized under initial access vectors through social engineering or phishing SMS messages, potentially leading to privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms if exploited successfully. Organizations should also consider implementing mobile device management solutions that can automatically apply security updates and monitor for suspicious SMS activity on managed devices.