CVE-2017-8149 in P10
Summary
by MITRE
The boot loaders of P10 and P10 Plus Huawei mobile phones with software the versions before Victoria-L09AC605B162, the versions before Victoria-L29AC605B162, the versions before Vicky-L29AC605B162 have an out-of-bounds memory access vulnerability due to the lack of parameter validation. An attacker with the root privilege of an Android system may trick a user into installing a malicious APP. the APP can modify specific data to cause buffer overflow in the next system reboot, causing out-of-bounds memory read which can continuous system reboot.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8149 affects the bootloader components of Huawei P10 and P10 Plus mobile devices running specific software versions prior to Victoria-L09AC605B162, Victoria-L29AC605B162, and Vicky-L29AC605B162. This represents a critical security flaw that resides at the foundational level of the device's boot process, where the bootloader is responsible for initializing the operating system and establishing the secure execution environment. The vulnerability manifests as an out-of-bounds memory access condition that stems from insufficient parameter validation within the bootloader's memory management routines. This flaw creates a dangerous attack surface where malicious actors can exploit the lack of proper input sanitization to manipulate memory structures during system boot operations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the lowest level of the device's software stack, making it difficult to detect and remediate through traditional software-based security measures. The attack vector requires an attacker to already possess root privileges on the Android system, which indicates that the vulnerability could be exploited after successful compromise of the device's user-level security controls, potentially through social engineering or malicious application installation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a buffer overflow condition that occurs specifically during the system reboot process when the bootloader attempts to process modified data. The lack of proper parameter validation allows an attacker to craft malicious data that, when installed through a specially designed application, can manipulate the bootloader's memory structures beyond their allocated boundaries. This out-of-bounds memory read condition creates a persistent threat that can cause the device to continuously reboot, effectively rendering the device unusable and creating a denial-of-service scenario. The vulnerability operates within the context of the Trusted Execution Environment as defined by the Common Weakness Enumeration standard, specifically mapping to CWE-125 which describes out-of-bounds read conditions. The memory access violation occurs during critical boot-time operations, making it particularly dangerous as it can prevent the device from properly initializing the operating system and potentially allow for further exploitation attempts that could compromise the device's secure boot chain.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-8149 extends beyond simple device unavailability to encompass potential security implications for data integrity and device confidentiality. The continuous reboot cycle can cause physical wear on the device's hardware components, particularly the power management circuits and storage devices, leading to accelerated degradation of the device's overall lifespan. The vulnerability's exploitation requires a malicious application to be installed on the device, which means that users who download applications from untrusted sources or who are tricked into installing compromised applications are at risk. This creates a significant threat to user privacy and device security, as the attack can persist across device reboots and potentially allow for further exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also impacts the device's ability to maintain secure boot processes, which could enable attackers to bypass hardware-based security features and potentially gain access to encrypted data stored on the device. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which describes "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and represents a critical weakness in the device's security architecture that could enable more sophisticated attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-8149 should focus on immediate software updates and user awareness measures to prevent exploitation. The most effective remediation involves installing the latest firmware updates provided by Huawei that address the bootloader parameter validation issues and implement proper bounds checking mechanisms. Users should avoid installing applications from untrusted sources and should be vigilant about granting root privileges to applications. System administrators and security professionals should implement network-based monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and should consider device lockdown procedures for affected devices until proper patches are applied. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure boot processes and proper memory management in mobile device security architectures. Organizations should also consider implementing device management policies that enforce automatic security updates and monitor for suspicious application behavior. Additionally, the vulnerability demonstrates the necessity of comprehensive security testing of bootloader components and the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for all device components, particularly those operating at the lowest levels of the system architecture where vulnerabilities can have the most severe impact on overall device security and user privacy.