CVE-2018-5875 in Snapdragon Automobile
Summary
by MITRE
While parsing an mp4 file, an integer overflow leading to a buffer overflow can occur in Snapdragon Automobile, Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/03/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-5875 represents a critical security flaw in multimedia processing components within Qualcomm Snapdragon automotive, mobile, and wearable platforms. This issue manifests during the parsing of mp4 video files when the system encounters an integer overflow condition that subsequently triggers a buffer overflow scenario. The vulnerability resides in the underlying media processing libraries that handle multimedia file formats, specifically targeting the mp4 container format which is widely used across various digital platforms and devices.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the mp4 parsing routine where integer arithmetic operations fail to properly handle boundary conditions. When processing certain malformed mp4 files, the system performs calculations that exceed the maximum representable value for integer data types, causing an integer overflow condition. This overflow then propagates into a buffer overflow situation where memory allocation calculations become invalid, leading to potential memory corruption. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-190 as an integer overflow error, which directly maps to the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter execution through malformed media files. The flaw affects multiple Snapdragon product lines including automotive systems, mobile devices, and wearable technology, indicating a widespread impact across Qualcomm's embedded platform ecosystem.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple media playback failures, as it creates potential attack vectors for malicious actors to exploit system memory corruption. An attacker could craft specially designed mp4 files that, when processed by vulnerable systems, could lead to arbitrary code execution or system crashes. This represents a significant concern for automotive systems where multimedia processing is integrated into infotainment and telematics platforms, as well as for mobile and wearable devices where users frequently download and play multimedia content from untrusted sources. The vulnerability's exploitation could result in complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or denial of service conditions that might affect vehicle safety systems or device functionality. The integer overflow condition specifically targets memory management functions within the media processing pipeline, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect critical system components that handle user data and device operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-5875 require immediate firmware and software updates from device manufacturers to address the underlying parsing logic and implement proper integer overflow protection mechanisms. System administrators should ensure that all affected Snapdragon-based devices receive security patches that include bounds checking for integer operations and improved input validation for multimedia file processing. The implementation of stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and other exploit mitigation techniques can help reduce the attack surface. Organizations should also establish monitoring protocols to detect potential exploitation attempts through unusual memory access patterns or media processing anomalies. Additionally, network security teams should consider implementing content filtering measures for mp4 files in environments where untrusted media content might be processed. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation in embedded systems and emphasizes the need for comprehensive security testing of multimedia processing components within automotive and mobile platforms.