CVE-2017-8205 in Honor 9
Summary
by MITRE
The Bastet driver of Honor 9 Huawei smart phones with software of versions earlier than Stanford-AL10C00B175 has integer overflow vulnerability due to the lack of parameter validation. An attacker tricks a user into installing a malicious APP which has the root privilege; the APP can send a specific parameter to the driver of the smart phone, causing arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2023
The CVE-2017-8205 vulnerability represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the Bastet driver component of Huawei Honor 9 smartphones running software versions prior to Stanford-AL10C00B175. This vulnerability stems from inadequate parameter validation mechanisms within the kernel-level driver responsible for handling specific system operations. The Bastet driver serves as a crucial interface for managing certain hardware functionalities within the device, making it a prime target for exploitation by malicious actors seeking elevated privileges. The vulnerability manifests when the driver fails to properly validate input parameters received from user-space applications, creating an opportunity for crafted malicious inputs to trigger unintended behavior.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a sophisticated attack vector involving privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution. An attacker must first deceive a user into installing a malicious application that has been specifically designed to leverage the integer overflow condition. This malicious application must possess root privileges to effectively communicate with the vulnerable Bastet driver component. Once installed, the application can send carefully crafted parameters to the driver that exceed the maximum value that can be represented by the integer data type, causing the overflow to occur. This overflow condition corrupts memory structures and can lead to unpredictable behavior, including the execution of arbitrary code with elevated privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass potential full system compromise. The integer overflow allows attackers to manipulate the driver's memory management and potentially execute malicious code with kernel-level privileges. This capability enables attackers to bypass standard security controls, modify system files, install persistent backdoors, and gain complete control over the affected device. The vulnerability affects a specific range of Huawei Honor 9 devices, making it particularly concerning for users within that product lineage who may be unaware of the security risk. The exploitation requires user interaction for initial installation of the malicious application, but once executed, the attack can persist without further user involvement.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions that can lead to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The attack pattern demonstrates characteristics consistent with the attack technique described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation and persistence tactics. Organizations and users should prioritize immediate software updates to the patched versions of the Huawei Honor 9 firmware to remediate this vulnerability. Additionally, mobile device management policies should enforce strict application vetting procedures and monitor for suspicious applications that may attempt to exploit such kernel-level vulnerabilities. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper input validation in kernel drivers and highlights the necessity of comprehensive security testing for all system components that handle external input parameters.