CVE-2017-8148 in Huawei
Summary
by MITRE
Audio driver in P9 smartphones with software The versions before EVA-AL10C00B389 has a denial of service (DoS) vulnerability. An attacker tricks a user into installing a malicious application on the smart phone, and the race condition cause null pointer accessing during the application access shared resource, which make the system reboot.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8148 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting P9 smartphones running specific software versions prior to EVA-AL10C00B389. This issue resides within the audio driver component of the device's operating system, demonstrating how seemingly benign system components can become vectors for significant operational disruption. The vulnerability exploits a race condition scenario that occurs during application access to shared audio resources, fundamentally undermining the device's stability and reliability. The flaw specifically manifests when a malicious application is installed and executed on the target device, creating a chain of events that leads to system-wide reboot cycles.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper synchronization mechanisms within the audio driver's resource management system. When applications attempt to access shared audio resources, a race condition develops that allows for null pointer dereference conditions to occur. This race condition represents a classic software flaw categorized under CWE-362, which specifically addresses race conditions that can lead to unpredictable system behavior and potential system crashes. The null pointer access during resource contention creates a cascade of failures that ultimately results in the device's automatic reboot process, effectively rendering the smartphone temporarily unusable. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers system shutdown/reboot attacks targeting device availability.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-8148 extends beyond simple inconvenience to potentially compromise user productivity and device security. Users who unknowingly install malicious applications become victims of persistent system reboots that can occur at arbitrary intervals, making the device unreliable for critical tasks. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only social engineering to trick users into installing malicious software, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users may encounter untrusted applications. The race condition aspect of this flaw means that the timing of resource access can be manipulated by attackers to maximize the likelihood of system failure. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where mobile device management policies may not adequately protect against such targeted attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-8148 should focus on both immediate software updates and broader security awareness measures. The most effective solution involves updating the affected smartphone models to software versions that include patches addressing the race condition in the audio driver component. Organizations should implement strict application vetting procedures and avoid installing untrusted applications on mobile devices. The vulnerability's classification as a denial of service issue means that network-level protections and device monitoring systems can help detect abnormal reboot patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing mobile device management solutions that can automatically detect and block known malicious applications before they can establish the conditions necessary for the race condition to occur. This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper synchronization mechanisms in kernel-level drivers and demonstrates how seemingly isolated component flaws can result in system-wide availability issues.