CVE-2017-9647 in Infineon S-Gold 2
Summary
by MITRE
A Stack-Based Buffer Overflow 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. An attacker with a physical connection to the TCU may exploit a buffer overflow condition that exists in the processing of AT commands. This may allow arbitrary code execution on the baseband radio processor of the TCU.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/07/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9647 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the Continental AG Infineon S-Gold 2 (PMB 8876) chipset implementation across multiple automotive manufacturers' vehicle models. This security weakness affects vehicles manufactured between 2009-2010 from BMW, Ford's limited P-HEV vehicles, and various Infiniti and Nissan models spanning from 2013-2016. The vulnerability resides in the Telematics Control Unit (TCU) which serves as a communication hub for vehicle telematics systems and connects to external networks for services like remote diagnostics, emergency assistance, and over-the-air updates.
The technical exploitation occurs through the processing of AT commands, which are standard command sequences used for communication with modem-like components in automotive systems. When an attacker establishes a physical connection to the TCU through the vehicle's diagnostic port or other accessible interfaces, they can craft malicious AT command sequences that exceed the allocated buffer space in the baseband radio processor's memory management. This buffer overflow condition allows the attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow and enabling arbitrary code execution within the baseband processor environment. The flaw operates at the stack level, where the program's execution context is stored and managed, making it particularly dangerous as it can lead to complete system compromise without requiring network-based attack vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it fundamentally compromises the vehicle's telematics security architecture. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain persistent access to the vehicle's communication systems, potentially enabling remote vehicle control, data exfiltration, or the installation of malicious firmware components. The attack requires physical proximity to the vehicle and access to the TCU, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1547.001 for gaining persistence through system services and T1071.004 for application layer protocols. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure firmware development practices and proper input validation within automotive embedded systems, particularly in safety-critical environments where unauthorized access could lead to vehicle control compromise.
The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which specifically addresses buffer overflows occurring in stack memory regions where program variables and return addresses are stored. Automotive security standards such as ISO 26262 and SOTIF (Safety of the Intended Functionality) highlight the importance of preventing such memory corruption vulnerabilities in automotive systems. Mitigation strategies should include firmware updates from manufacturers, physical access controls to vehicle diagnostic interfaces, and implementation of secure boot mechanisms that can detect and prevent unauthorized code execution. Additionally, automotive cybersecurity frameworks like those defined by NIST SP 800-171 and the automotive industry's ISO/SAE 21434 standard emphasize the need for robust memory management practices and input validation controls to prevent such buffer overflow conditions from being exploited in vehicle telematics systems.