CVE-2017-18309 in Snapdragon Mobile
Summary
by MITRE
A micro-core of QMP transportation may cause a macro-core to read from or write to arbitrary memory in Snapdragon Mobile in version SD 845, SD 850.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-18309 represents a critical memory safety issue within the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and 850 mobile platform architectures. This flaw exists within the QMP (Qualcomm Multi-Core Processing) transportation micro-core component, which serves as a communication interface between different processing units within the system-on-chip. The vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking and memory access validation mechanisms that allow for potential unauthorized memory operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a flaw in how the micro-core processes memory requests from the macro-core components. When the macro-core attempts to communicate with the micro-core for data transportation purposes, the system fails to properly validate memory addresses and access permissions. This oversight creates a condition where malicious or malformed requests can cause the macro-core to perform arbitrary read or write operations to memory locations outside of its intended address space. The vulnerability specifically affects the Snapdragon 845 and 850 platforms, which are widely used in high-end smartphones and mobile devices, making this issue particularly concerning from a security perspective.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-18309 extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it could potentially enable attackers to execute arbitrary code within the device's memory space. This vulnerability could be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious applications, compromised firmware updates, or network-based attacks that leverage the device's communication protocols. The implications are severe because the macro-core typically operates with higher privileges and access levels compared to user-space applications, meaning successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise. This aligns with CWE-125, which addresses out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that these platforms are used in devices that handle sensitive personal and corporate data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require both immediate firmware updates from device manufacturers and architectural improvements in future designs. Qualcomm has issued patches for affected Snapdragon platforms, but the fundamental issue highlights the need for more robust memory access controls in multi-core processor architectures. Security researchers recommend implementing additional memory protection mechanisms such as kernel address space layout randomization and enhanced memory access validation routines. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and code injection, with potential TTPs including T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation. Device manufacturers should also consider implementing runtime memory protection mechanisms and regular security audits of core processor components to prevent similar issues in future implementations.