CVE-2017-8270 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In all Qualcomm products with Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel, a race condition exists in a driver potentially leading to a use-after-free condition.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/09/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8270 represents a critical race condition flaw within Qualcomm's Android implementations that leverages the Linux kernel framework. This issue affects all Qualcomm products utilizing Android releases from the Code Aurora Forum (CAF) and demonstrates a fundamental weakness in driver-level memory management. The vulnerability stems from improper synchronization mechanisms within kernel drivers that govern hardware interactions, creating an environment where concurrent access patterns can lead to unpredictable behavior. Such race conditions typically occur when multiple execution threads attempt to access shared resources without proper mutual exclusion controls, resulting in scenarios where memory that has been freed becomes accessible for reuse before all references are properly handled.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability manifests as a use-after-free condition, where a driver continues to reference memory that has already been deallocated, potentially allowing malicious actors to execute arbitrary code or cause system instability. This particular flaw resides in the kernel driver subsystem and operates at a privileged level where kernel memory management is manipulated. The race condition occurs during the lifecycle of driver operations where the timing of memory allocation and deallocation creates a window where freed memory can be accessed by subsequent operations. This pattern aligns with CWE-362, which specifically addresses race conditions in concurrent programming, and represents a classic example of how improper synchronization can lead to memory corruption vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-8270 extends beyond simple system crashes to potentially enable full system compromise through privilege escalation attacks. When exploited, this vulnerability can allow attackers to execute code with kernel-level privileges, effectively bypassing standard security boundaries and potentially enabling persistent access to affected devices. The implications are particularly severe in mobile environments where Qualcomm processors power numerous smartphones and tablets, creating a widespread attack surface. Attackers can leverage this condition to gain unauthorized access to device resources, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system manipulation, or the installation of persistent malware. The vulnerability's presence in the Linux kernel driver context means that exploitation can occur through legitimate driver interfaces, making detection and prevention particularly challenging.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-8270 require comprehensive patch management across all affected Qualcomm products and Android implementations. Organizations should prioritize updating firmware and kernel components to versions that address the race condition through proper synchronization mechanisms. The fix typically involves implementing mutex locks or other mutual exclusion primitives to prevent concurrent access to shared resources during memory allocation and deallocation cycles. Security teams should also consider implementing runtime monitoring to detect anomalous driver behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, the vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation, suggests that defensive measures should include process monitoring and memory integrity checks to prevent unauthorized code execution. The remediation process must also encompass thorough testing of patches to ensure they do not introduce regressions in device functionality, particularly given the critical nature of driver-level modifications in embedded systems.