CVE-2017-18331 in Snapdragon Automobile
Summary
by MITRE
Improper access control on secure display buffers in snapdragon automobile, snapdragon mobile and snapdragon wear in versions MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9650, MSM8996AU, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, SDA660
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical flaw in the secure display buffer implementation across multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon automotive and mobile platforms. The issue stems from inadequate access controls that allow unauthorized processes to manipulate or access protected display memory regions intended for secure content rendering. The affected hardware platforms include the MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9650, MSM8996AU, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, and SDA660 chipsets, which are widely deployed in automotive infotainment systems and mobile devices. The vulnerability specifically targets the secure display buffer mechanism that should isolate sensitive visual content from potentially malicious applications, creating a pathway for privilege escalation and information disclosure. According to CWE-284, this represents an improper access control weakness that allows unauthorized users to access resources or perform operations that should be restricted. The vulnerability manifests when the system fails to properly validate access permissions for display buffer memory regions, enabling attackers to read or modify secure display content. This flaw has significant implications for automotive cybersecurity as it affects the secure display functionality in vehicle infotainment systems, potentially allowing attackers to access sensitive vehicle data or display malicious content to drivers. The operational impact extends beyond simple information disclosure, as attackers could manipulate the display to show false information, potentially compromising vehicle safety systems or accessing confidential automotive data. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which involves the use of local system privileges to gain access to sensitive resources, and T1547 which covers the abuse of privilege escalation techniques to access restricted system components. Security researchers identified that the flaw exists in the hardware-level display buffer management where the system does not properly enforce memory access controls, allowing processes with insufficient privileges to access secure display regions. The affected systems include automotive platforms that rely on Snapdragon chipsets for their infotainment and instrument cluster displays, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for vehicle cybersecurity and the automotive industry's adherence to ISO/SAE 21434 standards for cybersecurity. The implementation of proper access controls requires hardware-level modifications to ensure that secure display buffers maintain their isolation properties and that only authorized processes can access these sensitive memory regions. Mitigation strategies should include firmware updates from device manufacturers, proper access control policy enforcement, and regular security audits of automotive display systems. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of hardware-level security controls in automotive systems and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of automotive platforms before deployment, particularly in light of NIST SP 800-160 guidelines for secure system design and implementation. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities in automotive environments. The security community has classified this vulnerability as high-risk due to its potential to affect automotive safety systems and its exploitation potential in connected vehicle environments where display integrity is critical for driver safety and vehicle operation.