CVE-2017-6278 in Tegra Kernel
Summary
by MITRE
NVIDIA Tegra kernel contains a vulnerability in the CORE DVFS Thermal driver where there is the potential to read or write a buffer using an index or pointer that references a memory location after the end of the buffer, which may lead to a denial of service or possible escalation of privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6278 resides within the NVIDIA Tegra kernel's CORE DVFS Thermal driver, representing a critical memory safety issue that affects embedded systems utilizing NVIDIA's Tegra processor architecture. This flaw manifests as an out-of-bounds memory access condition that can occur when processing thermal management requests within the device's power management subsystem. The vulnerability specifically impacts the driver's handling of buffer operations during thermal regulation activities, where improper bounds checking allows for potential memory corruption scenarios.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the thermal driver's buffer management functions. When the driver processes thermal events or temperature monitoring requests, it employs indexing or pointer arithmetic that can exceed the allocated buffer boundaries. This condition creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory locations beyond the intended buffer limits, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability. The flaw operates at the kernel level within the Tegra SoC's power management framework, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect core system operations and device functionality.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to affected devices running NVIDIA Tegra-based systems, including mobile devices, embedded platforms, and automotive applications. The potential impact ranges from denial of service conditions that can crash the device or render it unresponsive to more severe privilege escalation scenarios that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges. The vulnerability affects systems where the Tegra kernel modules are actively managing thermal states and power distribution, particularly during high-temperature conditions or intensive workload scenarios that trigger thermal responses.
The security implications of CVE-2017-6278 align with CWE-129, which categorizes improper validation of array indices as a fundamental flaw in input validation and bounds checking mechanisms. This vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves exploiting local privileges to escalate access rights, as the flaw could potentially be leveraged to gain elevated system privileges. Organizations deploying Tegra-based systems should prioritize patch management and firmware updates to address this vulnerability, as it represents a persistent risk to device integrity and system availability. The vulnerability's exploitation requires local access or a method to trigger the thermal driver's functionality, but once exploited, could provide attackers with significant control over the affected system's operation and security posture.