CVE-2018-5877 in Snapdragon Automobile
Summary
by MITRE
In the device programmer target-side code for firehose, a string may not be properly NULL terminated can lead to a incorrect buffer size in Snapdragon Automobile, Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear in versions MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9640, MDM9650, MDM9655, MSM8909W, MSM8996AU, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 600, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, SDA660, SDX20.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-5877 resides within the device programmer target-side code for firehose functionality in Qualcomm Snapdragon automotive and mobile platforms. This issue manifests as a potential buffer overflow condition that arises from improper NULL termination of strings within the target-side code implementation. The flaw affects a broad range of Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets including automotive variants like MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9640, MDM9650, MDM9655 and mobile variants such as MSM8909W, MSM8996AU, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 600, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, SDA660, and SDX20. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and string handling practices within the firehose programming interface that is commonly used for device firmware flashing and programming operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the target-side code processes string inputs that are expected to be NULL terminated but are not properly handled in memory. This improper string termination can cause the code to read beyond the intended buffer boundaries, leading to incorrect buffer size calculations and potentially enabling arbitrary code execution or system instability. The flaw operates at the intersection of buffer management and string processing functions, where the absence of proper NULL termination allows subsequent memory access operations to traverse into adjacent memory regions. This condition aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios, though the specific manifestation in this case involves string handling rather than direct memory corruption.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-5877 extends significantly across automotive and mobile device ecosystems that rely on Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms for their core processing capabilities. Attackers could potentially leverage this vulnerability during device programming operations, particularly when using firehose interfaces for firmware updates or device provisioning. The vulnerability creates opportunities for privilege escalation attacks and could enable adversaries to execute malicious code within the device's trusted execution environment. Given the widespread deployment of affected Snapdragon chipsets across various mobile and automotive platforms, the potential attack surface is substantial, affecting devices from smartphones and tablets to automotive infotainment systems and connected vehicle platforms. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and availability of device firmware programming operations, potentially leading to complete device compromise or denial of service conditions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-5877 should focus on both immediate code-level fixes and broader security architecture improvements. The primary remediation involves implementing proper string termination checks and buffer boundary validations within the firehose target-side code implementation. Qualcomm has released security patches addressing this vulnerability in subsequent firmware updates, and device manufacturers should ensure all affected systems receive these updates promptly. Network-based mitigations can include implementing secure programming practices that enforce strict input validation and buffer size limitations. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of adhering to secure coding practices as outlined in the CWE guidelines, particularly those addressing buffer overflow prevention and input validation. Organizations should consider implementing runtime protections such as stack canaries and address space layout randomization to reduce the exploitability of similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, the ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under software exploitation techniques, specifically targeting memory corruption vulnerabilities that enable privilege escalation and code execution within system firmware components.