CVE-2016-8756 in Mate 8
Summary
by MITRE
ION memory management module in Huawei Mate 8 phones with software NXT-AL10C00B197 and earlier versions, NXT-DL10C00B197 and earlier versions, NXT-TL10C00B197 and earlier versions, NXT-CL10C00B197 and earlier versions allows attackers to cause a denial of service (restart).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8756 affects the ION memory management module in Huawei Mate 8 smartphones running specific software versions including NXT-AL10C00B197 and earlier, NXT-DL10C00B197 and earlier, NXT-TL10C00B197 and earlier, and NXT-CL10C00B197 and earlier. This represents a critical security flaw within the device's memory management subsystem that operates at the kernel level, potentially compromising the overall system stability and availability. The ION memory allocator is responsible for managing shared memory buffers between different system components and hardware drivers, making it a crucial element in the phone's operational framework.
The technical flaw manifests as a vulnerability in the memory management module that allows unauthorized parties to trigger a system restart through crafted memory allocation requests. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of denial of service attacks where the attacker can force the device into an unintended reboot cycle, effectively rendering the phone temporarily unusable. The root cause likely stems from insufficient input validation or improper memory boundary checking within the ION module implementation, creating opportunities for malicious code to exploit memory management functions and cause system instability.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to users who may experience unexpected device restarts during critical operations, potentially leading to data loss or service disruption. The impact extends beyond simple inconvenience as attackers could exploit this weakness to repeatedly restart devices, creating a persistent denial of service condition that could be particularly problematic in enterprise environments or for users relying on mobile devices for business operations. The vulnerability affects multiple variants of the Huawei Mate 8, suggesting a widespread issue within the product line that requires immediate attention from both manufacturers and users.
The flaw aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of the length of input buffers, and represents a classic example of how memory management vulnerabilities can be exploited to cause system instability. This vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers the use of system shutdown/restart to disrupt services, demonstrating how this weakness could be leveraged in broader attack frameworks. The ION memory management module's role in handling shared memory between system components makes it particularly attractive to attackers seeking to disrupt device operations, as compromising this module can affect multiple system functions simultaneously.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate software updates from Huawei addressing the memory management flaw in affected versions, along with network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Users should avoid installing untrusted applications that might trigger memory allocation patterns leading to system restarts. Device administrators should implement proper patch management procedures and consider network segmentation to limit potential exploitation. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust memory management validation in mobile operating systems and underscores the need for comprehensive security testing of kernel-level components. Organizations should also consider implementing device monitoring solutions that can detect unusual restart patterns and alert administrators to potential exploitation attempts.