CVE-2018-11276 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In all android releases(Android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, QRD Android) from CAF using the linux kernel, double free of memory allocation is possible in Kernel when it explicitly tries to free that memory on driver probe failure, since memory allocated is automatically freed on probe.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical memory management flaw in Android-based systems that utilize the Linux kernel, specifically affecting Qualcomm Android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, and QRD Android implementations. The issue manifests as a double free condition during kernel driver initialization processes where the system attempts to explicitly free memory that has already been automatically freed during the probe failure handling mechanism. This fundamental flaw occurs within the kernel's memory allocation and deallocation routines, creating a scenario where the same memory block is freed twice, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability.
The technical root cause stems from improper memory management practices within the kernel driver subsystem where memory allocation occurs during the probe phase of device driver initialization, but the kernel code subsequently attempts to explicitly free this memory when the probe fails. This creates a race condition or logic error where the memory management subsystem encounters the same memory address twice during the freeing process. The double free vulnerability falls under CWE-415 which specifically addresses the freeing of memory a second time, a condition that can be exploited to corrupt heap memory structures and potentially execute malicious code.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to mobile device security and system integrity, particularly in environments where kernel-level exploits are possible. Attackers could potentially leverage this double free condition to escalate privileges and gain root access to affected devices, making it a high-severity issue for all Android implementations that use the affected kernel versions. The vulnerability affects not only consumer devices but also enterprise mobile platforms that rely on Qualcomm's MSM architecture and the associated kernel implementations. This flaw is particularly dangerous because it occurs at the kernel level during normal system operation, making detection difficult and exploitation potentially reliable.
The impact extends beyond simple system crashes to include potential data breaches and complete system compromise, as the double free condition can be manipulated to overwrite critical kernel data structures or redirect execution flow. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through kernel exploits, and represents a classic example of how memory corruption vulnerabilities in kernel space can be leveraged for system compromise. Organizations should prioritize patching affected systems and implementing memory safety monitoring mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts. The recommended mitigations include applying kernel updates from vendors, implementing memory safety checks in driver code, and monitoring for unusual memory allocation patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing runtime protections and enhanced kernel security modules to prevent exploitation of such memory management flaws.