CVE-2016-9278 in Exynos fimg2d Driver
Summary
by MITRE
The Samsung Exynos fimg2d driver for Android with Exynos 5433, 54xx, or 7420 chipsets allows local users to cause a denial of service (kernel panic) via a crafted ioctl command. The Samsung ID is SVE-2016-6736.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-9278 resides within the Samsung Exynos fimg2d driver implementation for Android operating systems running on specific Exynos chipsets including the Exynos 5433, 54xx series, and 7420 models. This driver serves as a critical component responsible for handling 2D graphics acceleration operations within the Android framework. The flaw manifests as a lack of proper input validation within the ioctl command processing mechanism, which forms the primary interface for communication between user-space applications and the kernel-level graphics driver. The affected hardware platforms utilize the Exynos SoC architecture which integrates the fimg2d graphics processing unit, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for devices manufactured with these specific chipsets.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a local malicious application or user-level process submits a crafted ioctl command to the fimg2d driver interface. The driver fails to properly validate the parameters passed within this ioctl call, specifically in how it processes the command structure and associated data buffers. This validation gap allows an attacker to manipulate the driver's internal state through carefully constructed input parameters that can trigger unexpected behavior within the kernel space. The vulnerability essentially represents a classic buffer overflow or parameter validation flaw that leads to a kernel panic condition, where the kernel becomes unstable and must be restarted to restore normal operation. This type of flaw directly maps to CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions in kernel space, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to system instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it represents a significant security weakness that could potentially be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks. When a kernel panic occurs, the system becomes unresponsive and typically requires a complete reboot to recover, resulting in service interruption for users. The local nature of this vulnerability means that any application running with appropriate privileges on the device could exploit it, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple applications share the same system resources. The vulnerability affects devices that rely on the Exynos 5433, 54xx, and 7420 chipsets, which were widely deployed in various Samsung smartphones and tablets during the mid-2010s. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be categorized under privilege escalation and denial of service techniques, potentially enabling an attacker to gain persistent access to a device through repeated exploitation attempts. The kernel panic condition also creates opportunities for information disclosure through crash dumps and memory state revelations that could aid in further exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-9278 should focus on both immediate defensive measures and long-term architectural improvements. The most effective immediate solution involves applying the security patches provided by Samsung and the Android Open Source Project, which typically include enhanced input validation mechanisms within the ioctl processing code. System administrators and device manufacturers should implement strict privilege controls to limit which applications can access the fimg2d driver interface, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation. Additionally, kernel-level hardening measures such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and kernel module signing can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of comprehensive security testing for device drivers, particularly those handling graphics processing operations that interface directly with kernel space. Regular security audits of device-specific drivers and implementation of automated testing frameworks for kernel-level components should be standard practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced into future firmware releases.