CVE-2018-11953 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
While processing ssid IE length from remote AP, possible out-of-bounds access may occur due to crafted ssid IE length in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon IoT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables in MDM9150, MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9640, MDM9650, MSM8909W, MSM8996AU, QCA6174A, QCA6574AU, QCA9377, QCA9379, Qualcomm 215, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 425, SD 439 / SD 429, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 625, SD 632, SD 650/52, SD 820, SD 820A, SDM439, SDX20
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2020
This vulnerability involves a critical out-of-bounds memory access issue that occurs when processing Service Set Identifier Information Element (SSID IE) length from remote access points within Qualcomm's wireless connectivity chipsets. The flaw manifests when the system receives a crafted SSID IE length value that exceeds expected boundaries, potentially leading to memory corruption and system instability. The vulnerability affects multiple generations of Qualcomm's Snapdragon series processors including automotive, consumer electronics, industrial IoT, and mobile connectivity platforms. The impacted hardware includes various MDM (Modem) and MSM (Mobile Station) chipsets such as MDM9150, MDM9206, MDM9607, and numerous SD (Snapdragon) series processors spanning from entry-level to high-end mobile platforms. The root cause stems from insufficient input validation during the processing of wireless network management frames, specifically in the handling of the SSID IE length field which is part of the 802.11 management frame structure. This represents a classic buffer overflow vulnerability pattern where the system fails to properly bounds-check the length parameter before proceeding with memory operations, making it susceptible to exploitation by malicious actors who can craft specially formatted wireless beacon frames.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple domains of wireless connectivity and network security. Attackers could potentially leverage this weakness to cause denial of service conditions by crashing wireless connectivity services, or more severely compromise system integrity through memory corruption that could lead to arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability affects both infrastructure and endpoint devices that rely on Qualcomm's wireless chipsets for connectivity, including smartphones, tablets, automotive systems, industrial IoT devices, and consumer electronics. The exploitation potential is particularly concerning given that the attack vector requires only the reception of malicious wireless frames from nearby access points, making it a passive attack that could be executed in public spaces or targeted environments. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-129: "Improper Validation of Array Index" and CWE-787: "Out-of-bounds Write," both of which are critical weaknesses in memory safety. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1059.007: "Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python" and potentially T1499.004: "Endpoint Denial of Service" when used for service disruption attacks, though the actual exploitation may involve lower-level memory manipulation techniques.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require both immediate firmware updates and operational security measures. Qualcomm has released security patches addressing this issue in their latest firmware versions, which should be deployed immediately across all affected devices. Network administrators should implement wireless monitoring solutions to detect and alert on malformed beacon frames containing suspicious SSID IE lengths. Device manufacturers should consider implementing additional input validation layers in their wireless stack implementations, particularly in the management frame processing components. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation in network protocol implementations, as highlighted in industry best practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST SP 800-160 security guidelines. Organizations should also consider network segmentation and access control measures to limit the impact of potential exploitation, particularly in critical infrastructure environments where wireless connectivity is essential. The vulnerability underscores the need for comprehensive security testing of wireless protocols and the importance of adhering to secure coding practices that prevent buffer overflows and memory corruption issues in embedded systems. Additionally, implementing network monitoring tools that can detect anomalous wireless traffic patterns and malformed frames can provide early warning capabilities for potential exploitation attempts.