CVE-2017-8142 in Mate 9
Summary
by MITRE
The Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) module driver of Mate 9 and Mate 9 Pro smart phones with software versions earlier than MHA-AL00BC00B221 and versions earlier than LON-AL00BC00B221 has a use after free (UAF) vulnerability. An attacker tricks a user into installing a malicious application, and the application can start multiple threads and try to create and free specific memory, which could triggers access memory after free it and causes a system crash or arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2023
The CVE-2017-8142 vulnerability represents a critical use after free condition within the Trusted Execution Environment module driver of Huawei Mate 9 and Mate 9 Pro smartphones. This flaw exists in software versions prior to MHA-AL00BC00B221 and LON-AL00BC00B221, affecting the core security infrastructure that protects sensitive data and cryptographic operations. The vulnerability resides in the TEE driver implementation which governs the secure element operations, making it a prime target for sophisticated attack vectors that could compromise the fundamental security posture of these devices. The flaw specifically manifests when multiple threads attempt to manipulate shared memory resources within the TEE context, creating a race condition scenario that enables malicious applications to exploit the memory management inconsistencies.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a well-defined pattern where an attacker crafts a malicious application designed to trigger concurrent thread execution patterns that manipulate memory allocation and deallocation sequences. When the TEE driver processes these operations, it fails to properly validate memory state transitions, allowing an attacker to execute a use after free attack by creating a scenario where freed memory blocks are accessed before being reallocated. This memory management flaw falls under CWE-416 which specifically addresses use after free conditions in software implementations. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at a low system level within the TEE module, bypassing traditional application security controls and potentially enabling privilege escalation attacks that could compromise the secure environment's integrity.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-8142 extends beyond simple system instability to encompass serious security implications that could lead to complete device compromise. A successful exploitation could result in system crashes that disrupt normal device functionality, but more critically, the vulnerability enables arbitrary code execution capabilities that would allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive cryptographic keys, user credentials, and other protected data stored within the TEE environment. This represents a significant threat to the device's security model as the TEE is designed to provide isolation for sensitive operations that should remain protected from regular application access. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which involves the execution of malicious code through legitimate system processes, and T1068 which targets local privilege escalation through kernel-level vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate software updates from Huawei to address the underlying TEE driver implementation flaws. Organizations and individuals should prioritize updating their affected devices to versions that include patched TEE drivers, as the vulnerability cannot be effectively mitigated through configuration changes alone. Security researchers recommend implementing application sandboxing measures to prevent installation of untrusted applications that could exploit this vulnerability, while network administrators should monitor for potential exploitation attempts through suspicious application installations. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices in system-level drivers, particularly in the handling of concurrent memory operations and thread synchronization mechanisms. Regular security assessments of TEE implementations should be conducted to identify similar memory management vulnerabilities that could be exploited in similar security contexts.