CVE-2017-11015 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, QRD Android, with all Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel, currently, the value of SIR_MAC_AUTH_CHALLENGE_LENGTH is set to 128 which may result in buffer overflow since the frame parser allows challenge text of length up to 253 bytes, but the driver can not handle challenge text larger than 128 bytes.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2019
This vulnerability exists in Android-based systems utilizing the Linux kernel from Code Aurora Forum with specific Qualcomm MSM chipsets and Firefox OS implementations. The issue stems from a critical buffer overflow condition that occurs during wireless authentication processes, specifically within the MAC authentication challenge handling mechanism. The vulnerability manifests when the system attempts to process wireless authentication challenge text that exceeds the allocated buffer capacity, creating a potential exploitation vector for malicious actors targeting mobile device security.
The technical flaw resides in the hardcoded SIR_MAC_AUTH_CHALLENGE_LENGTH parameter set to 128 bytes, while the frame parser component permits challenge text up to 253 bytes in length. This discrepancy creates a situation where incoming authentication challenge data can overflow the allocated buffer space, potentially leading to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability affects all Android releases from Code Aurora Forum that utilize the Linux kernel, making it widespread across multiple device manufacturers and platform implementations. This buffer overflow condition represents a classic security flaw that aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows data to overwrite adjacent memory locations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it can enable attackers to execute malicious code with elevated privileges on affected devices. Mobile devices utilizing Qualcomm MSM chipsets with the vulnerable Linux kernel implementations become susceptible to remote exploitation through crafted wireless authentication challenge frames. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise and consumer devices that rely on wireless authentication protocols, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to device resources, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent access points within corporate networks. The exploitability of this condition is heightened by the fact that wireless authentication frames are commonly transmitted in unencrypted environments, making the attack surface more accessible to adversaries.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper bounds checking within the wireless authentication challenge processing code, updating the SIR_MAC_AUTH_CHALLENGE_LENGTH parameter to accommodate the maximum frame parser limit of 253 bytes, and ensuring that all wireless authentication components perform thorough input validation. Device manufacturers should prioritize patching vulnerable systems through firmware updates that correct the buffer size allocation and implement proper memory management practices. Security researchers and system administrators should monitor for implementations that may have similar buffer overflow conditions in other wireless authentication components, as this vulnerability demonstrates a pattern of insufficient input validation in security-critical network protocols. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation and execution techniques, where adversaries leverage system-level buffer overflows to gain elevated privileges and execute malicious code within the target environment.