CVE-2018-6271 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
NVIDIA Tegra OpenMax driver (libnvomx) contains a vulnerability in which the software delivers extra data with the buffer and does not properly validated the extra data, which may lead to denial of service or escalation of privileges. Android ID: A-80198474.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/10/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6271 affects the NVIDIA Tegra OpenMAX driver component known as libnvomx which is integral to the multimedia processing capabilities of Android devices utilizing NVIDIA Tegra chipsets. This flaw resides within the buffer handling mechanism of the OpenMAX IL (Integration Layer) implementation that governs multimedia operations including video decoding and encoding functions. The issue manifests when the driver receives additional data beyond the expected buffer boundaries without proper validation of this extraneous information.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the buffer management system where the libnvomx component fails to properly sanitize or verify supplementary data appended to buffer structures. This validation failure creates a potential attack surface where malicious actors could craft specially formatted buffer inputs containing extra data that bypasses normal security checks. The vulnerability specifically relates to improper bounds checking and data validation practices that are fundamental to secure buffer management as defined by CWE-129 and CWE-787 which address insufficient validation of length of buffers and out-of-bounds reads.
Operationally this vulnerability presents significant security implications as it can be leveraged to achieve either denial of service conditions or privilege escalation attacks depending on the execution context. When exploited for denial of service, the improper handling of extra data could cause the multimedia subsystem to crash or become unresponsive, effectively rendering multimedia functionality unavailable to users. In scenarios where privilege escalation is possible, attackers might gain elevated system privileges through the vulnerable driver component, potentially allowing them to execute arbitrary code with higher privileges than normal application processes. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers the use of privilege escalation techniques through local exploits.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it affects the core multimedia infrastructure of Android devices running on NVIDIA Tegra hardware. Devices such as tablets, smartphones, and other mobile platforms that utilize Tegra processors are at risk, particularly those running Android versions that incorporate the vulnerable libnvomx driver. The vulnerability affects the integrity and availability of multimedia processing capabilities, potentially compromising the overall security posture of affected devices. Organizations and users should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader mobile security strategy, especially in environments where device security is paramount. Mitigation strategies should include timely firmware updates from device manufacturers, proper input validation implementations in custom applications, and monitoring for suspicious buffer operations within the multimedia subsystem to detect potential exploitation attempts.