CVE-2018-11823 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In all android releases(Android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, QRD Android) from CAF using the linux kernel, freeing device memory in driver probe failure will result in double free issue in power module.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2023
This vulnerability exists within the Linux kernel implementations used across various Android platforms including MSM variants, Firefox OS for MSM, and QRD Android systems. The issue manifests when device memory is freed during driver probe failure conditions within the power management module. The root cause stems from improper memory management practices where the same memory block gets freed twice, creating a classic double free vulnerability that can be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized system access or cause system instability.
The technical flaw occurs in the power module's error handling mechanism where memory allocation and deallocation routines are not properly synchronized during probe failure scenarios. When a device driver fails to initialize correctly, the kernel attempts to free allocated memory resources but due to flawed logic, the same memory address may be returned to the free list multiple times. This creates a situation where subsequent memory allocation requests might reuse already freed memory blocks, potentially leading to memory corruption or arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it occurs at kernel level during critical initialization phases when proper resource management is essential.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes or instability. An attacker could potentially exploit this double free condition to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges, effectively bypassing security boundaries and gaining full system control. This represents a critical escalation of privilege vulnerability that could allow attackers to install malware, modify system files, or establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects all Android releases using the affected kernel implementations, making it widespread across numerous device models and manufacturers. Additionally, the timing of the vulnerability during driver probe failure means it could be triggered through various attack vectors including malicious USB devices, firmware updates, or compromised applications that attempt to load problematic drivers.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper memory management practices within the kernel code, including adding proper reference counting mechanisms and ensuring that memory deallocation routines are idempotent. The solution requires modifications to the power module's error handling code to prevent double freeing of memory resources during probe failure conditions. Organizations should prioritize applying kernel updates from their respective vendors and implementing runtime protections such as kernel address space layout randomization. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-415 which addresses double free conditions in memory management, and represents a significant concern under ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers exploit for privilege escalation. The fix typically involves code-level modifications to ensure memory deallocation occurs only once per memory block and proper synchronization mechanisms are implemented during error handling scenarios.