CVE-2018-11936 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
Index of array is processed in a wrong way inside a while loop and result in invalid index (-1 or something else) leads to out of bound memory access. in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wired Infrastructure and Networking in MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9640, MDM9650, MSM8996AU, QCA6174A, QCA6574, QCA6574AU, QCA6584, QCA6584AU, QCA9377, QCA9379, QCA9886, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 425, SD 427, SD 430, SD 435, SD 450, SD 625, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, SDX20, SDX24, Snapdragon_High_Med_2016
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2020
This vulnerability represents a classic buffer overflow condition that occurs due to improper array index management within a while loop structure. The flaw manifests when an array index is calculated or modified during loop execution and subsequently becomes invalid, specifically taking on negative values such as -1 or other out-of-bounds positions. This memory access violation affects multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon product lines including automotive, connectivity, consumer electronics, industrial IoT, mobile, voice/music, and wired infrastructure components. The vulnerability exists in various chipsets such as MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9640, MDM9650, MSM8996AU, and numerous QCA and SD series processors. From a cybersecurity perspective, this issue aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array indices, and represents a critical memory safety vulnerability that could be exploited to execute arbitrary code or cause system instability. The flaw demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where bounds checking is either absent or insufficiently implemented during iterative array processing. Attackers could potentially leverage this vulnerability to manipulate memory contents, leading to privilege escalation, denial of service, or information disclosure. The widespread impact across multiple Snapdragon product categories indicates that this vulnerability affects a broad spectrum of devices including smartphones, automotive systems, IoT devices, and networking equipment. The operational consequences are particularly severe given that these chipsets power critical infrastructure components and consumer devices where reliability and security are paramount. This vulnerability type is categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059, specifically focusing on command and scripting interpreter execution, as exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution within the affected system. The root cause lies in the improper handling of loop counters or index variables that are modified during execution, causing them to reference memory locations outside the allocated array boundaries. The vulnerability's presence in both mobile and automotive systems raises concerns about potential safety implications in vehicle electronics where such memory corruption could lead to critical system failures. Device manufacturers and system integrators must implement immediate patches to address this issue, as the vulnerability could be exploited through malicious software or firmware updates that trigger the problematic code path. The remediation approach typically involves implementing proper bounds checking mechanisms, validating array indices before access, and ensuring loop termination conditions properly maintain valid index ranges throughout execution. Security teams should also consider implementing runtime protections and memory integrity checks to detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting this specific memory access pattern.