CVE-2018-11938 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
Improper input validation for argument received from HLOS can lead to buffer overflows and unexpected behavior in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon IoT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables, Snapdragon Wired Infrastructure and Networking in versions IPQ8074, MDM9150, MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9650, MSM8909W, MSM8996AU, QCA8081, QCS605, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 427, SD 430, SD 435, SD 439 / SD 429, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 625, SD 632, SD 636, SD 650/52, SD 675, SD 712 / SD 710 / SD 670, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, SD 845 / SD 850, SD 8CX, SDA660, SDM439, SDM630, SDM660, Snapdragon_High_Med_2016, SXR1130.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical input validation flaw that exists within the heterogeneous level operating system architecture of various Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. The issue stems from insufficient validation of arguments received from the Hypervisor Level Operating System which creates a pathway for malicious actors to exploit buffer overflow conditions. The vulnerability affects a broad spectrum of Qualcomm's automotive, connectivity, consumer electronics, industrial IoT, and mobile platforms, indicating a fundamental architectural weakness that permeates across multiple product lines. The affected chipsets span from entry-level processors like the SD 210 family to high-end mobile platforms such as the SD 845 and SD 850, demonstrating the widespread nature of this security gap.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows for buffer overflow conditions when processing input parameters from the HLOS layer. Attackers can craft malicious inputs that exceed the allocated buffer boundaries, potentially leading to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions in stack-based buffers, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflows. The improper validation occurs at the interface between the hypervisor and the underlying operating system components, creating a trust boundary failure where untrusted input is not adequately sanitized before processing. The impact is particularly severe because these chipsets are deployed in critical infrastructure and mobile devices where such vulnerabilities could enable remote code execution or system compromise.
The operational implications of this vulnerability extend far beyond typical mobile device security concerns, given the widespread deployment of affected Snapdragon chipsets across automotive systems, industrial IoT deployments, and wireless networking equipment. The vulnerability's presence in Snapdragon Auto platforms specifically raises concerns about vehicle safety systems and connected car functionalities, while its presence in industrial IoT devices could compromise critical infrastructure operations. The attack surface is significantly expanded due to the diversity of affected platforms, from smartphones and tablets to automotive systems and industrial monitoring equipment. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which describes command and script interpreters, as successful exploitation could provide attackers with command execution capabilities. The potential for persistent access through buffer overflow exploitation means that compromised devices could serve as launch points for further attacks within connected networks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from device manufacturers and chipset vendors, as Qualcomm has issued patches for affected versions. System administrators should implement network segmentation to limit lateral movement potential and monitor for anomalous behavior in affected devices. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation at all levels of system architecture, particularly at hypervisor boundaries where trust assumptions are most critical. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments across their entire device inventory to identify systems running affected chipsets. Additionally, implementing runtime protection mechanisms and memory protection features such as stack canaries and address space layout randomization can help mitigate exploitation attempts, though these are considered defensive measures rather than complete solutions. The vulnerability underscores the need for robust security testing in hypervisor and operating system interfaces, particularly in embedded systems where the attack surface is often not fully understood.