CVE-2017-9633 in Infineon S-Gold 2
Summary
by MITRE
An Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer issue was discovered in the Continental AG Infineon S-Gold 2 (PMB 8876) chipset on BMW several models produced between 2009-2010, Ford a limited number of P-HEV vehicles, Infiniti 2013 JX35, Infiniti 2014-2016 QX60, Infiniti 2014-2016 QX60 Hybrid, Infiniti 2014-2015 QX50, Infiniti 2014-2015 QX50 Hybrid, Infiniti 2013 M37/M56, Infiniti 2014-2016 Q70, Infiniti 2014-2016 Q70L, Infiniti 2015-2016 Q70 Hybrid, Infiniti 2013 QX56, Infiniti 2014-2016 QX 80, and Nissan 2011-2015 Leaf. A vulnerability in the temporary mobile subscriber identity (TMSI) may allow an attacker to access and control memory. This may allow remote code execution on the baseband radio processor of the TCU.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9633 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the Infineon S-Gold 2 chipset implementation found in automotive infotainment and telematics systems. This issue specifically affects the temporary mobile subscriber identity (TMSI) handling mechanism, which is a fundamental component of cellular communication protocols used in vehicle telematics control units. The problem manifests as an improper restriction of operations within memory buffer boundaries, creating a potential pathway for attackers to exploit memory access controls and manipulate system behavior.
The technical flaw resides in how the chipset processes and manages TMSI values during cellular communication operations, where insufficient bounds checking allows for memory corruption through crafted inputs. This vulnerability specifically impacts the baseband radio processor of the telematics control unit, which handles critical communication functions including cellular data transmission, location services, and vehicle diagnostics. The buffer overflow condition enables attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely, potentially compromising the entire vehicle's communication system and exposing sensitive data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it provides attackers with remote code execution capabilities on the baseband processor. This represents a severe security risk for connected vehicles, as it could enable unauthorized access to vehicle control systems, location tracking, and communication channels. The affected vehicle models span multiple manufacturers including BMW, Ford, Infiniti, and Nissan, covering various model years from 2009 through 2016, indicating a widespread exposure across automotive platforms. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers could potentially compromise vehicles without physical access, using cellular network communications as their attack vector.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes "Stack-based Buffer Overflow" conditions, and represents a classic example of improper input validation that allows memory corruption. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566 for Phishing, as attackers could leverage the remote execution capability to establish persistent access or deploy additional malware. The affected systems represent critical infrastructure components where such vulnerabilities could lead to serious safety implications, particularly in vehicles where telematics systems control or interface with vehicle functions.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing firmware updates from vehicle manufacturers, as these typically contain patches for the buffer overflow conditions. Network segmentation and monitoring of cellular communications can help detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing secure coding practices in automotive telematics systems, including robust input validation and memory management controls, can prevent similar vulnerabilities from manifesting in future implementations. Organizations should also consider vehicle network isolation and regular security assessments of connected vehicle systems to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.