CVE-2016-8482 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the NVIDIA GPU driver. Product: Android. Versions: Android kernel. Android ID: A-31799863. References: N-CVE-2016-8482.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8482 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the NVIDIA GPU driver component of Android systems. This weakness specifically affects the Android kernel implementation and demonstrates how graphics processing unit drivers can serve as attack vectors for privilege escalation. The vulnerability stems from improper access controls and insufficient input validation within the GPU driver subsystem, creating opportunities for malicious actors to exploit the underlying kernel components. Such flaws are particularly dangerous in mobile environments where GPU drivers often operate with elevated privileges to manage hardware resources and graphics processing tasks. The Android ID A-31799863 further contextualizes this issue within the broader Android security framework, indicating that this vulnerability was recognized and tracked by Google's security team as part of their ongoing efforts to identify and remediate kernel-level security weaknesses.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of kernel-mode driver functions that handle GPU memory management and command processing. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, effectively bypassing standard Android security boundaries. The vulnerability typically manifests through improper validation of user-supplied data within GPU command buffers or memory allocation routines. This allows malicious applications to manipulate kernel memory structures and escalate their privileges from standard user context to system-level access. The flaw is particularly concerning because GPU drivers often maintain direct access to hardware resources and memory spaces that are normally protected from user-space applications, creating a significant attack surface for privilege escalation attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-8482 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass potential full system compromise and data exfiltration capabilities. Once an attacker achieves kernel-level access through this vulnerability, they can bypass all standard Android security mechanisms including SELinux policies, application sandboxing, and file system access controls. This enables attackers to modify system files, install persistent backdoors, access encrypted data, and monitor user activities without detection. The vulnerability affects all Android versions that utilize NVIDIA GPU drivers, making it particularly widespread across various device models and manufacturers. From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through kernel exploits, and CWE-284 which addresses improper access control in kernel-mode components.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Android kernel versions and NVIDIA GPU driver components. Organizations should implement comprehensive vulnerability management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates across all Android devices. The recommended approach involves updating to patched kernel versions that include proper input validation and access control mechanisms within the GPU driver subsystem. Additionally, device manufacturers should consider implementing runtime protections such as kernel address space layout randomization and code integrity checks to reduce the effectiveness of exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious GPU driver activity and anomalous memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. From a compliance standpoint, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date kernel security patches and adhering to industry standards such as those outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO 27001 for mobile device security management.