CVE-2019-10540 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in WLAN NAN function due to lack of check of count value received in NAN availability attribute in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wired Infrastructure and Networking in IPQ8074, MSM8996AU, QCA6174A, QCA6574AU, QCA8081, QCA9377, QCA9379, QCS404, QCS405, QCS605, SD 636, SD 665, SD 675, SD 712 / SD 710 / SD 670, SD 730, SD 820, SD 835, SD 845 / SD 850, SD 855, SD 8CX, SDA660, SDM630, SDM660, SXR1130
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/17/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the Wireless Local Area Network Near-Field Communication functionality of Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets, specifically affecting the NAN availability attribute processing. The flaw stems from insufficient validation of the count value parameter received within the NAN availability attribute structure, creating a potential exploitation vector that could allow remote code execution or system compromise. The vulnerability impacts a broad range of Qualcomm automotive, consumer electronics, industrial IoT, and mobile platforms, making it particularly concerning from a cybersecurity perspective. The affected hardware includes multiple generations of Snapdragon processors such as the SD 636, SD 665, SD 675, SD 712, SD 730, SD 820, SD 835, SD 845, SD 855, and various automotive and networking chipsets like IPQ8074 and QCA6174A.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the WLAN NAN function processes incoming availability attributes without proper bounds checking on the count field, which typically indicates the number of elements in a subsequent data structure. When an attacker crafts malicious NAN availability attributes with oversized count values, the system fails to validate these parameters before using them to allocate memory or iterate through data structures. This lack of input validation creates a classic buffer overflow scenario where the system attempts to write beyond the allocated memory boundaries, potentially corrupting adjacent memory regions or executing arbitrary code. The vulnerability manifests in the wireless networking stack during normal operation when processing legitimate or malicious NAN advertisements from other devices in the network.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents significant risks to connected devices utilizing affected Snapdragon chipsets, particularly in automotive and industrial environments where wireless connectivity is critical. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to vehicle systems, industrial control networks, or consumer IoT devices, leading to data breaches, system compromise, or denial of service conditions. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond individual device compromise to potential network-wide disruption, especially in scenarios where multiple devices are interconnected through wireless NAN functionality. The widespread adoption of these chipsets across various device categories means that exploitation could affect automotive infotainment systems, smart home devices, industrial sensors, and mobile communication equipment simultaneously.
Mitigation strategies should focus on firmware and software updates provided by device manufacturers to address the buffer overflow condition in the WLAN NAN processing code. Organizations should implement network monitoring to detect anomalous NAN advertisement patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while also considering network segmentation to limit potential lateral movement if compromise occurs. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and may map to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and execution through network protocols. Device manufacturers should conduct thorough security assessments of their wireless networking implementations and implement proper input validation mechanisms to prevent similar issues in future releases. Additionally, network administrators should maintain updated threat intelligence regarding potential exploitation attempts targeting these specific chipsets and consider implementing network-level controls to restrict wireless NAN functionality where it is not required for operational purposes.