CVE-2017-8209 in Honor 5C
Summary
by MITRE
The driver of honor 5C,honor 6x Huawei smart phones with software of versions earlier than NEM-AL10C00B356, versions earlier than Berlin-L21HNC432B360 have a buffer overflow vulnerability due to the lack of parameter validation. An attacker tricks a user into installing a malicious APP which has the root privilege of the Android system, the APP can send a specific parameter to the driver of the smart phone, causing a system reboot or arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8209 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the kernel driver of Huawei Honor 5C and Honor 6X smartphones. This weakness stems from insufficient parameter validation mechanisms within the device driver responsible for handling system-level operations. The affected devices operate with firmware versions prior to NEM-AL10C00B356 and Berlin-L21HNC432B360, creating a widespread exposure across multiple device models and software iterations. The vulnerability specifically targets the driver component that manages low-level hardware interactions, making it particularly dangerous as it operates at the kernel level where system privileges are highest.
The technical exploitation of this buffer overflow occurs through a carefully crafted malicious application that can be installed on the affected devices. This malware must first gain root privileges within the Android operating system to effectively target the vulnerable driver component. The attack vector relies on the malicious application sending specifically formatted parameters to the vulnerable driver interface, which then fails to properly validate input lengths and content. This lack of proper input sanitization allows attackers to exceed allocated buffer boundaries and overwrite adjacent memory regions. The vulnerability manifests through two primary attack outcomes including forced system reboots and full arbitrary code execution capabilities, both of which represent severe operational impacts for device security and user privacy.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for users of affected Huawei devices as it provides attackers with complete system control once successful exploitation occurs. The requirement for a malicious application to first gain root privileges means that the attack typically requires social engineering or pre-existing compromise of the device through other attack vectors. However, once the initial compromise occurs, the buffer overflow vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, potentially leading to complete device takeover, data exfiltration, or persistent backdoor installation. The system reboot capability can also serve as a denial-of-service mechanism, rendering devices temporarily unusable while the attacker maintains control over system operations.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of insufficient input validation in kernel drivers. The attack pattern follows typical exploit chains documented in MITRE ATT&CK framework under techniques related to privilege escalation and persistence. Organizations should prioritize immediate firmware updates for all affected Huawei Honor 5C and Honor 6X devices, as the vulnerability affects devices running older software versions. The recommended mitigation strategy includes implementing strict application vetting processes, monitoring for suspicious system behavior, and maintaining comprehensive device inventory records to track vulnerable hardware. Additionally, users should avoid installing untrusted applications and ensure their devices receive timely security updates from Huawei to prevent exploitation of this critical buffer overflow vulnerability.