CVE-2016-8397 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability in the NVIDIA video driver could enable a local malicious application to access data outside of its permission levels. This issue is rated as High because it could be used to access sensitive data without explicit user permission. Product: Android. Versions: Kernel-3.10. Android ID: A-31385953. References: N-CVE-2016-8397.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2016-8397 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within NVIDIA's video driver implementation for Android systems running kernel version 3.10. This security weakness specifically affects the graphics processing unit driver components that manage hardware acceleration for multimedia operations and graphical user interfaces. The issue stems from inadequate permission controls and memory management within the driver's kernel space operations, creating a pathway for unauthorized data access that bypasses normal application sandboxing mechanisms.
Technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through improper memory boundary checking and insufficient validation of user-space requests to kernel-space graphics driver functions. The flaw allows local malicious applications to manipulate graphics driver interfaces in ways that should be restricted to system-level processes or privileged applications. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-200, which specifically addresses "Information Exposure," and represents a classic case of privilege escalation through improper access control mechanisms. The driver's failure to properly validate memory access requests enables attackers to read memory regions that contain sensitive data such as user credentials, application data, or system configuration information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of Android's application sandboxing architecture. A local malicious application could potentially extract sensitive information from other applications, system processes, or even kernel memory spaces that should remain protected from unauthorized access. This capability enables attackers to perform reconnaissance activities, gather intelligence for further exploitation, or extract valuable data without requiring additional privileges or user interaction. The vulnerability affects the Android operating system's core security framework by creating a persistent backdoor for information disclosure attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on both immediate patching and architectural improvements to prevent similar issues in the future. System administrators and device manufacturers must prioritize applying the official NVIDIA driver updates that address the memory validation flaws in the graphics processing unit driver. Additionally, implementing enhanced kernel security modules such as kernel address space layout randomization and strict memory access controls can help prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation' tactic, making it a critical concern for mobile security posture management. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime application protection mechanisms and regular security assessments to detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting such kernel-level vulnerabilities.