CVE-2016-8483 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability in the Qualcomm power 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-33745862. References: QC-CR#1035099.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/08/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8483 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Qualcomm power driver component of Android systems running kernel version 3.10. This issue resides in the kernel-level power management subsystem that controls device power states and hardware resources, creating a significant security risk for mobile devices that rely on Qualcomm chipsets. The vulnerability stems from improper access controls within the power driver implementation, allowing local malicious applications to bypass normal permission boundaries and access sensitive data that should be restricted to system-level processes or authorized applications.
The technical flaw manifests through a privilege escalation mechanism within the power driver interface where insufficient input validation and access control checks permit unauthorized data access. Specifically, the vulnerability occurs when the power driver fails to properly validate the privileges of requesting processes before granting access to power management registers or system resources. This weakness enables a local attacker with a malicious application to manipulate power management functions and extract information that would normally be protected by the Android security model. The issue is classified as a CWE-200 (Information Exposure) with potential characteristics of CWE-264 (Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls) and CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) as it allows unauthorized access to protected system resources.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a serious threat to device security and user privacy as it enables local applications to access sensitive system data without explicit user consent or proper authorization. Attackers can exploit this weakness to extract device-specific information such as power consumption patterns, hardware identifiers, or other sensitive metadata that could be used for further exploitation or to build profiles of device usage. The high severity rating reflects the potential for this vulnerability to be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation to system-level access, device fingerprinting, or even the extraction of cryptographic keys and credentials stored in power-related memory regions. This vulnerability directly impacts the Android security model by undermining the principle of least privilege and creating unauthorized data access pathways.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-8483 should focus on both immediate patching and operational security improvements. The primary solution involves applying the official Qualcomm security patches and Android kernel updates that address the power driver access control implementation. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring for unauthorized power management API usage and establish strict application vetting processes for mobile device management. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing runtime application protection measures and regular security audits of kernel modules to detect similar access control vulnerabilities. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper kernel-level security implementation and demonstrates how low-level driver components can create significant security risks when access controls are insufficiently enforced. This issue underscores the need for adherence to security best practices outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project and emphasizes the critical role of secure coding practices in kernel development as referenced in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework for mobile platform security.