CVE-2016-8762 in Huawei
Summary
by MITRE
The TrustZone driver in Huawei P9 phones with software Versions earlier than EVA-AL10C00B352 and P9 Lite with software VNS-L21C185B130 and earlier versions and P8 Lite with software ALE-L02C636B150 and earlier versions has an input validation vulnerability, which allows attackers to cause the system to restart.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8762 resides within the TrustZone driver component of several Huawei smartphone models including the P9, P9 Lite, and P8 Lite. This flaw represents a critical input validation weakness that exists in the secure execution environment of these devices. The TrustZone technology is designed to provide a secure area within the processor that can handle sensitive operations and protect against malicious attacks. However, this particular vulnerability undermines the integrity of that secure environment by allowing unauthorized input manipulation that can trigger system-level behavior.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of input parameters within the TrustZone driver code. When the vulnerable software processes certain inputs, it fails to properly validate the data integrity and boundaries, creating opportunities for attackers to craft malicious inputs that can cause the system to behave unpredictably. This specific weakness allows for system restarts through crafted input sequences that exploit the driver's failure to validate expected input formats and ranges. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level within the TrustZone environment, making it particularly dangerous as it can potentially bypass normal security controls and access critical system resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system instability, as it represents a potential entry point for more sophisticated attacks. When an attacker can induce system restarts through input manipulation, they may be able to disrupt normal device operations, potentially creating opportunities for further exploitation or denial-of-service conditions. The vulnerability affects multiple Huawei device models across different software versions, indicating a widespread issue within the TrustZone implementation that could affect a significant user base. This type of vulnerability can be leveraged in various attack scenarios including those targeting device availability, potentially enabling attackers to create persistent disruption or serve as a stepping stone for more complex exploitation techniques.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a potential indicator of broader design flaws in the secure element implementation of mobile devices. The input validation failure aligns with common weakness patterns described in the CWE database, specifically related to insufficient input validation and improper error handling within secure execution environments. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be categorized under initial access or privilege escalation techniques, as it allows attackers to manipulate system behavior in ways that could potentially lead to further compromise. Organizations should implement immediate patch management strategies to address this vulnerability, while also considering the broader implications for mobile security architecture and the need for more robust input validation mechanisms within secure processing environments.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability requires firmware updates from Huawei that address the specific input validation issues within the TrustZone driver. Users should be advised to update their device software immediately to prevent exploitation. Security teams should monitor for related vulnerabilities that may be discovered in similar secure execution environments and consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual restart patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation in security-critical components and serves as a reminder that even trusted secure elements can contain implementation flaws that may be exploited by determined attackers.