CVE-2018-9383 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 01/18/2025
In asn1_ber_decoder of asn1_decoder.c, there is a possible out of bounds read due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to local information disclosure with System execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-9383 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within the ASN1 BER decoder component of certain software implementations. This issue resides in the asn1_decoder.c file where the asn1_ber_decoder function fails to perform adequate bounds checking on input data during the decoding process. The missing validation allows maliciously crafted ASN1 encoded data to trigger memory access violations that can result in reading data beyond the intended buffer boundaries. Such vulnerabilities typically arise in cryptographic and security protocol implementations where ASN1 encoding is extensively used for data serialization and transmission.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it squarely within CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions in software implementations. The flaw operates by bypassing normal input validation mechanisms that should prevent reading memory locations beyond the allocated buffer space. When the decoder processes malformed ASN1 data, it does not properly verify that read operations remain within the bounds of the allocated memory regions, creating opportunities for information disclosure. This particular vulnerability requires system execution privileges for exploitation, indicating that an attacker must already have elevated access to the system to leverage this weakness effectively.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to systems relying on ASN1 decoding functionality for security protocols, certificate processing, or cryptographic operations. The local information disclosure aspect means that an attacker with system-level privileges could potentially extract sensitive data from memory locations that should remain protected. This could include cryptographic keys, authentication tokens, or other confidential information stored in memory. The lack of user interaction requirements for exploitation makes this vulnerability particularly concerning as it can be triggered automatically without requiring social engineering or user engagement, allowing for more stealthy attacks.
The impact of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005, which covers data from local system collection, and T1059, which covers command and control communication. Systems utilizing the affected ASN1 decoder may experience unauthorized data extraction that could compromise the confidentiality of sensitive information. Organizations should consider implementing memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and input validation layers to mitigate potential exploitation. The recommended mitigation strategy involves applying vendor patches that introduce proper bounds checking in the asn1_ber_decoder function, ensuring that all memory access operations verify buffer boundaries before execution. Additionally, implementing comprehensive input sanitization and monitoring for anomalous memory access patterns can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts.