CVE-2018-11955 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
Lack of check on length of reason-code fetched from payload may lead driver access the memory not allocated to the frame and results in out of bound read 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, QCS405, QCS605, Qualcomm 215, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 425, SD 427, SD 430, SD 435, SD 439 / SD 429, SD 450, SD 600, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 625, SD 632, SD 636, SD 650/52, SD 665, SD 712 / SD 710 / SD 670, SD 730, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, SD 845 / SD 850, SD 855, SDM439, SDM660, SDX20, SDX24
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/24/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical buffer overflow condition in Qualcomm's mobile and automotive networking drivers where insufficient validation occurs on the length of reason-code data extracted from incoming payload frames. The flaw exists within the handling of wireless communication protocols, specifically affecting the management of connection termination and error reporting mechanisms. When a device receives a frame containing a reason-code field, the system fails to properly verify that the field length falls within expected parameters before proceeding with memory access operations. This oversight allows malicious actors to craft specially formatted packets that can trigger out-of-bounds memory reads, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from a lack of proper input validation and boundary checking within the wireless driver code. According to CWE-129, this represents an implementation weakness where insufficient validation of input data leads to memory access violations. The flaw manifests when the driver attempts to process reason-code values that exceed predetermined buffer sizes, causing the system to read memory locations that were not allocated for the specific frame structure. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in automotive and industrial IoT environments where system reliability and safety are paramount, as it could potentially be exploited to compromise vehicle systems or industrial control networks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability spans across numerous Qualcomm chipsets and platforms, affecting a wide range of devices from smartphones and tablets to automotive systems and industrial IoT deployments. The affected platforms include critical components such as the MDM9150, MDM9206, and various Snapdragon series processors that power millions of connected devices globally. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability through wireless communication channels, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive system information or executing malicious code on target devices. The vulnerability's presence in both mobile and automotive platforms creates a significant risk surface, particularly in environments where wireless connectivity is essential for system operation and security.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from device manufacturers, as the flaw resides in low-level driver code that cannot be patched through standard software updates alone. Organizations should implement network monitoring to detect anomalous wireless traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, leveraging ATT&CK framework techniques related to command and control communications and privilege escalation. System administrators should also consider network segmentation and access controls to limit potential damage from successful exploitation. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-787 indicates it represents an out-of-bounds write condition that can be particularly severe in embedded systems where memory corruption can lead to complete system compromise rather than simple application crashes. Given the widespread deployment of affected chipsets, coordinated patch management across the automotive and IoT industries becomes critical for comprehensive protection against this threat vector.