CVE-2016-8425 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the NVIDIA GPU driver 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. Product: Android. Versions: Kernel-3.10. Android ID: A-31797770. References: N-CVE-2016-8425.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2022
This critical elevation of privilege vulnerability exists within the NVIDIA GPU driver component of Android systems running kernel version 3.10. The flaw allows a local malicious application to escalate its privileges and execute arbitrary code with kernel-level permissions, effectively bypassing the operating system's security boundaries. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory management within the GPU driver's kernel modules, creating a pathway for privilege escalation that could lead to complete system compromise. The Android ID A-31797770 identifies this specific issue within the Android security framework, while the referenced N-CVE-2016-8425 provides additional context for the vulnerability's classification and impact assessment.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a flaw in how the NVIDIA GPU driver handles certain kernel-level operations and memory allocations. When a malicious application attempts to interact with GPU driver functions, it can manipulate input parameters or memory structures to trigger a buffer overflow or memory corruption condition that allows code execution in kernel space. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-119, which addresses weaknesses in memory management, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation." The kernel-level execution context means that the malicious code can directly manipulate system resources, access protected memory regions, and potentially disable security mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and potentially permanent, as it enables a local attacker to gain root-level access to the device. Once escalated to kernel privileges, the malicious application can modify system files, install persistent backdoors, and access all user data without restriction. The vulnerability's critical rating reflects the potential for complete device compromise that may require full system reinstallation or reflashing to remediate properly. This represents a significant risk to Android devices where users may not be aware of the underlying GPU driver vulnerabilities, and the exploitation process can occur without requiring external network connectivity or user interaction beyond installing a malicious application.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must focus on both immediate patching and long-term security hardening. The primary remediation involves updating the NVIDIA GPU driver to a version that addresses the privilege escalation flaw, which typically requires a system update from the device manufacturer or Android security team. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management policies that prioritize kernel-level driver updates, particularly for devices running kernel 3.10 or similar versions. Additionally, security measures such as kernel address space layout randomization and stack canaries should be enabled to make exploitation more difficult. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices in kernel modules and proper input validation, as recommended by the CWE guidelines for memory safety and privilege management. Device manufacturers should consider implementing additional security controls such as driver signing verification and runtime monitoring to detect anomalous kernel-level behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts.