CVE-2018-11874 in Snapdragon Mobile
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow if the length of passphrase is more than 32 when setting up secure NDP connection in Snapdragon Mobile in version SD 835, SD 845, SD 850, SDA660.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-11874 represents a critical buffer overflow condition affecting Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile processors including the SD 835, SD 845, SD 850, and SDA660 chipsets. This flaw manifests specifically during the establishment of secure Neighbor Discovery Protocol connections, which are fundamental to IPv6 network communication on mobile devices. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the secure NDP implementation, where the system fails to properly handle passphrase lengths exceeding 32 bytes. This represents a classic buffer overflow scenario classified under CWE-121 as an insufficient buffer bounds checking vulnerability, where the system allocates a fixed-size buffer for passphrase storage but does not enforce length limitations during the input processing phase.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as it creates potential attack vectors for malicious actors seeking to compromise mobile device security. When a passphrase exceeding 32 bytes is processed during secure NDP connection setup, the system's memory management fails to prevent buffer overflows that could result in arbitrary code execution or system instability. The vulnerability is particularly concerning given that secure NDP connections are essential for maintaining network integrity and preventing man-in-the-middle attacks in mobile environments. This flaw directly impacts the integrity of IPv6 network communications and could enable attackers to disrupt network connectivity or potentially gain unauthorized access to device resources. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute malicious code within the device's secure communication framework.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a passphrase longer than 32 bytes and initiate a secure NDP connection setup process, which would trigger the buffer overflow condition. The affected Snapdragon processors implement the secure NDP functionality as part of their network security stack, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it exists at the hardware-software interface level. Device manufacturers and security researchers have documented that this vulnerability affects a significant portion of mobile devices running Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, particularly those deployed in enterprise and consumer environments where secure network communications are paramount. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the widespread adoption of these chipsets across various smartphone and tablet models, creating a substantial attack surface that could affect millions of devices globally. Mitigation strategies include firmware updates from device manufacturers, input validation patches, and network-level monitoring to detect anomalous passphrase lengths that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation in security-critical components and demonstrates the necessity of thorough testing of boundary conditions in mobile processor security implementations.