CVE-2016-8464 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Broadcom Wi-Fi driver could enable a local malicious application to execute arbitrary code within the context of the kernel. This issue is rated as Moderate because it first requires compromising a privileged process and is mitigated by current platform configurations. Product: Android. Versions: Kernel-3.10, Kernel-3.18. Android ID: A-29000183. References: B-RB#106314.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8464 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the Broadcom Wi-Fi driver component of Android operating systems. This weakness exists in kernel versions 3.10 and 3.18, affecting the fundamental security architecture of mobile devices that rely on Broadcom wireless chipsets. The issue stems from improper input validation and memory handling within the driver's kernel-space implementation, creating a pathway for malicious code execution with elevated privileges. The vulnerability's classification as Moderate severity reflects the requirement for an attacker to first compromise a privileged process, but this prerequisite does not diminish the potential impact of successful exploitation. The Android ID A-29000183 specifically identifies this issue within Google's vulnerability tracking system, indicating its recognition as a significant security concern requiring attention from device manufacturers and system integrators.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a flaw in how the Broadcom Wi-Fi driver processes certain input parameters within kernel memory space. When a local malicious application attempts to interact with the Wi-Fi driver through specific ioctl calls or memory operations, the driver fails to properly validate the input data structures. This validation failure allows an attacker to craft malicious payloads that can manipulate kernel memory, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution in kernel context. The flaw typically manifests through buffer overflow conditions or use-after-free scenarios where the driver's memory management routines do not adequately protect against malformed input. The kernel's privilege separation mechanisms are bypassed through this driver-level vulnerability, enabling a local attacker with minimal privileges to escalate their access level and gain control over critical system functions. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities that can lead to privilege escalation.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-8464 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as successful exploitation can enable attackers to gain complete control over device functions and potentially access sensitive user data. Once a malicious application achieves kernel-level execution, it can manipulate system memory, modify security policies, disable security features, and extract confidential information from device storage. The vulnerability affects all Android devices utilizing Broadcom Wi-Fi chipsets in the affected kernel versions, creating widespread exposure across multiple device manufacturers and model lines. Attackers could potentially leverage this vulnerability to install persistent backdoors, modify system binaries, or establish covert communication channels that operate below the detection capabilities of standard mobile security solutions. The requirement for an initial compromise of a privileged process means that the vulnerability is less likely to be exploited remotely, but still poses significant risk in scenarios where malware has already gained access to device functionality. This vulnerability type is categorized under ATT&CK technique T1068, which addresses local privilege escalation, and T1547, which covers registry run keys and startup folder modifications that could occur post-exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-8464 primarily focus on updating device firmware and kernel components to versions that address the specific driver vulnerability. Device manufacturers should prioritize rolling out security patches that include updated Broadcom Wi-Fi driver implementations with proper input validation and memory management routines. System administrators and security teams should implement monitoring protocols to detect unusual network activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly in enterprise environments where device security is paramount. The vulnerability's design flaw necessitates a complete driver update rather than simple configuration changes, as the underlying code structure requires modification to prevent the privilege escalation pathway. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as kernel address space layout randomization and stack canaries to make exploitation more difficult even if the underlying vulnerability remains unpatched. Regular security audits of device components and kernel modules should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities that might exist in other driver implementations, as this class of vulnerability often indicates broader architectural weaknesses in kernel-space code. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure coding practices in kernel-level components and the necessity of thorough security testing for all system drivers that interface with privileged operations.