CVE-2017-17319 in Huawei
Summary
by MITRE
Huawei P9 smartphones with the versions before EVA-AL10C00B399SP02 have an information disclosure vulnerability. The software does not properly protect certain resource which can be accessed by multithreading. An attacker tricks the user who has root privilege to install a crafted application, successful exploit could result in kernel information disclosure.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17319 affects Huawei P9 smartphones running firmware versions prior to EVA-AL10C00B399SP02, representing a critical information disclosure flaw within the device's operating system architecture. This weakness stems from inadequate protection mechanisms for specific system resources that are accessible through multithreading operations, creating an exploitable condition that compromises the device's security posture. The vulnerability specifically targets the kernel-level information protection mechanisms, where improper resource management allows unauthorized access to sensitive system data that should remain protected from malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves a race condition or improper synchronization mechanisms within the smartphone's kernel space, where multiple threads can simultaneously access protected resources without proper mutual exclusion controls. This multithreading vulnerability enables an attacker to exploit the system's resource access patterns through carefully crafted malicious applications that can be installed by a user with root privileges. The exploitation process leverages the elevated privilege level to bypass normal access controls, allowing the malicious application to directly access kernel memory regions and extract sensitive information that could include system configuration details, memory layouts, or other confidential kernel data structures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the leaked kernel information could provide attackers with critical insights into the device's internal architecture and security mechanisms. This information disclosure represents a significant risk to device security, as kernel-level data often contains sensitive configuration parameters, memory addresses, and system state information that could be used to develop more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability's exploitation requires a user with root privileges to install the malicious application, but once successful, it provides attackers with access to confidential kernel information that could be leveraged to escalate privileges or develop further exploits against the device's security model.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper resource protection mechanisms and multithreading synchronization controls within the operating system kernel. System administrators and device manufacturers should prioritize updating affected Huawei P9 devices to firmware versions that address the resource access control issues, specifically targeting the EVA-AL10C00B399SP02 and subsequent releases that contain the necessary security patches. The fix should implement proper mutex or semaphore controls to prevent concurrent access to sensitive kernel resources, ensuring that race conditions cannot occur during resource access operations. Additionally, the vulnerability aligns with CWE-362, which describes concurrent access synchronization issues, and represents a potential entry point for attackers following ATT&CK technique T1059.004 for command and scripting interpreter usage, where the leaked kernel information could be used to craft more effective exploitation payloads.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper kernel resource management and multithreading controls in mobile device security architectures. The issue highlights how seemingly minor implementation flaws in system-level programming can create significant security risks that compromise the entire device ecosystem. The exploitation scenario requires user interaction with root privileges, making it a form of social engineering attack that combines technical exploitation with user deception. Organizations should implement comprehensive device management policies that include regular firmware updates and security monitoring to prevent exploitation of such vulnerabilities. The presence of this flaw in the EVA-AL10C00B399SP02 version indicates that the vulnerability was present in multiple device iterations, emphasizing the need for thorough security testing and validation of kernel-level implementations before device release.