CVE-2019-10552 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple Buffer Over-read issue can happen due to improper length checks while decoding Service Reject/RAU Reject/PTMSI Realloc cmd in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon IoT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables, Snapdragon Wired Infrastructure and Networking in APQ8009, APQ8017, APQ8053, APQ8096, APQ8096AU, APQ8098, MDM9150, MDM9205, MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9615, MDM9625, MDM9635M, MDM9640, MDM9645, MDM9650, MDM9655, MSM8905, MSM8909, MSM8909W, MSM8917, MSM8920, MSM8937, MSM8939, MSM8940, MSM8953, MSM8996AU, MSM8998, Nicobar, QCM2150, QCS605, QM215, Rennell, SC8180X, SDA660, SDA845, SDM429, SDM429W, SDM439, SDM450, SDM630, SDM632, SDM636, SDM660, SDM670, SDM710, SDM845, SDM850, SDX20, SDX24, SDX55, SM6150, SM7150, SM8150, SXR1130
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/06/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical buffer over-read condition that affects multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset variants across various product lines including automotive, mobile, IoT, and networking applications. The issue manifests during the decoding process of specific protocol commands including Service Reject, RAU Reject, and PTMSI Realloc messages within the baseband processor subsystem. The root cause stems from inadequate validation of input lengths before processing these commands, creating opportunities for memory access violations that could potentially be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical flaw operates through improper length validation mechanisms within the protocol decoding logic. When the system receives these specific command messages, it fails to properly verify the expected message length against the actual received data, allowing subsequent memory reads to extend beyond allocated buffer boundaries. This over-read condition can result in information disclosure, system instability, or potentially arbitrary code execution depending on the exploitation context. The vulnerability affects a broad range of Qualcomm chipsets spanning from entry-level processors to high-end mobile and automotive platforms, indicating a fundamental flaw in the protocol handling implementation across multiple generations of hardware.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple industry sectors including automotive systems, mobile devices, industrial IoT deployments, and networking infrastructure. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness to extract sensitive information from memory regions, disrupt system operations, or gain unauthorized access to device functionalities. The widespread presence of affected chipsets means that numerous devices across different verticals could be compromised simultaneously, creating significant risk for organizations relying on Qualcomm-based solutions. This vulnerability particularly affects systems where secure communication protocols are critical, such as automotive telematics, industrial control systems, and mobile network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper input validation mechanisms and strengthening the protocol decoding logic to enforce strict length checks before memory operations. System administrators should prioritize firmware updates from device manufacturers to address this vulnerability, as Qualcomm has likely released patches to correct the buffer over-read conditions. Network security teams should monitor for potential exploitation attempts and implement network segmentation to limit the attack surface. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of length of input buffers, and may map to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and information gathering through memory corruption exploits. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime monitoring solutions to detect anomalous memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.