CVE-2016-9279 in Exynos fimg2d Driver
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in the Samsung Exynos fimg2d driver for Android with Exynos 5433, 54xx, or 7420 chipsets allows attackers to obtain sensitive information via unspecified vectors. The Samsung ID is SVE-2016-6853.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2026
The CVE-2016-9279 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw within the Samsung Exynos fimg2d graphics driver component that operates on Android devices featuring Exynos 5433, 54xx, or 7420 chipsets. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of memory safety issues and specifically manifests as a use-after-free condition that can be exploited to extract sensitive information from the device's memory space. The fimg2d driver serves as a crucial graphics processing unit interface responsible for handling 2D image operations and rendering tasks on Samsung mobile devices, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise device security. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as it can potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the graphics driver's handling of buffer allocations and deallocations. When the driver processes certain graphics operations, it fails to properly validate or manage the lifecycle of allocated memory buffers, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory pointers and access freed memory regions. This particular use-after-free condition occurs during the processing of graphics commands that involve the fimg2d driver's interaction with hardware acceleration features. The flaw allows an attacker to potentially corrupt memory structures or manipulate pointers to gain access to sensitive data that should remain protected within the device's secure memory boundaries. The vulnerability's exploitation requires careful manipulation of the graphics processing pipeline and leverages the driver's insufficient validation mechanisms to create conditions where freed memory can be accessed and read by unauthorized processes.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to Samsung Android devices running affected chipsets, particularly those that rely heavily on graphics-intensive applications and hardware acceleration features. The information disclosure aspect of this vulnerability could potentially expose cryptographic keys, user credentials, or other sensitive data stored in memory regions that are not properly protected from unauthorized access. Mobile devices utilizing these chipsets are particularly vulnerable because they often process sensitive data through the graphics pipeline, and the graphics driver's privileged access to hardware resources creates additional attack surface. The exploitation of this vulnerability could enable attackers to perform reconnaissance activities, gather device-specific information, or potentially establish persistent access to affected devices, making it a valuable target for both commercial and state-sponsored threat actors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-9279 should focus on both immediate patch deployment and architectural improvements to prevent similar memory safety issues. Samsung has issued security updates that address this vulnerability through proper memory management implementation and enhanced validation of graphics processing operations. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of available patches and firmware updates to affected devices. Additionally, implementing runtime protections such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries can help reduce the effectiveness of exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in software implementations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and information gathering, potentially enabling adversaries to move laterally within affected networks or maintain persistent access to compromised devices. Network monitoring and anomaly detection systems should be configured to identify unusual graphics processing patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the importance of comprehensive memory safety testing in graphics drivers and other system components that handle privileged hardware access operations.