CVE-2016-8794 in Mate 8
Summary
by MITRE
Huawei Mate 8 phones with software Versions before NXT-AL10C00B386, Versions before NXT-CL00C92B386, Versions before NXT-DL00C17B386, Versions before NXT-TL00C01B386; Mate S phones with software Versions before CRR-CL00C92B368, Versions before CRR-CL20C92B368, Versions before CRR-TL00C01B368, Versions before CRR-UL00C00B368, Versions before CRR-UL20C00B368; and P8 phones with software Versions before GRA-TL00C01B366, Versions before GRA-CL00C92B366, Versions before GRA-CL10C92B366, Versions before GRA-UL00C00B366, Versions before GRA-UL10C00B366 allow attackers with graphic or Camera privilege to crash the system or escalate privilege.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8794 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw affecting multiple Huawei smartphone models including the Mate 8, Mate S, and P8 series. This vulnerability stems from insufficient privilege checking mechanisms within the device's camera and graphics subsystems, creating a pathway for malicious actors with limited graphic or camera privileges to potentially gain elevated system access. The affected software versions indicate a widespread issue across various Huawei device families, suggesting a fundamental flaw in the operating system's privilege management architecture that was not adequately addressed in the affected firmware releases.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a flaw in how the system handles privilege checks when processing camera and graphics operations. Attackers can exploit this weakness by leveraging their existing graphic or camera privileges to manipulate system calls or memory operations that should be restricted to higher-privileged processes. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which describes inadequate privilege management, and represents a classic case of insufficient access control. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to bypass normal security boundaries that should prevent unauthorized escalation of privileges, potentially enabling full system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes, as it provides a pathway for privilege escalation that could lead to complete device compromise. An attacker with graphic or camera privileges could potentially execute malicious code with elevated permissions, access sensitive user data, or even install persistent backdoors. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects multiple device generations and software versions, indicating that Huawei's security team had not adequately addressed the underlying privilege management issues in their firmware implementations. The vulnerability's presence across different hardware platforms suggests a systemic flaw in the software architecture rather than an isolated incident.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate firmware updates from Huawei to address the privilege escalation flaw. Organizations and individuals should ensure their devices are updated to versions that contain the necessary security patches. Network administrators should monitor for potential exploitation attempts and implement additional security controls to prevent unauthorized access to devices with graphic or camera privileges. The remediation process should include verification that the updated firmware properly implements privilege checking mechanisms and that system calls are appropriately restricted. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of comprehensive privilege management testing and continuous security validation in mobile operating systems, particularly in environments where multiple application interfaces could potentially be exploited for unauthorized access.