CVE-2019-10580 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
When kernel thread unregistered listener, Use after free issue happened as the listener client`s private data has been already freed in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables in MDM9607, MSM8909W, Nicobar, QCM2150, QCS405, QCS605, Saipan, SC8180X, SDM429W, SDX55, SM8150, SM8250, SXR2130
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition that occurs during the kernel thread cleanup process when unregistering listeners in various Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. The flaw manifests when a listener client's private data is freed while the kernel thread continues to reference this memory location, creating a scenario where subsequent access to the freed memory could result in arbitrary code execution or system instability. The vulnerability affects multiple generations of Qualcomm's mobile and automotive processors including the MDM9607, MSM8909W, Nicobar, QCM2150, QCS405, QCS605, Saipan, SC8180X, SDM429W, SDX55, SM8150, SM8250, and SXR2130 chipsets, indicating a widespread impact across Qualcomm's product portfolio spanning automotive, mobile, consumer IoT, and industrial IoT applications. The root cause lies in improper synchronization between the kernel thread's cleanup routine and the client's memory management, where the kernel does not properly validate that all references to the listener's private data have been cleared before deallocating the memory space.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to first establish a legitimate listener registration within the kernel thread subsystem, then trigger the unregistration process while maintaining conditions that allow the kernel thread to continue accessing the freed memory. This creates a race condition where the timing of memory deallocation and subsequent access determines whether the vulnerability can be successfully exploited. The flaw aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free vulnerabilities, and represents a classic example of improper memory management in kernel space. The operational impact extends beyond simple system crashes to potentially enable privilege escalation attacks, as the kernel thread's access to freed memory could be manipulated to execute malicious code with kernel-level privileges. This vulnerability particularly affects automotive systems and IoT devices where continuous operation and security are paramount, as the exploitation could lead to unauthorized control of vehicle systems or IoT device compromise.
The security implications of this vulnerability are severe given that it affects multiple Snapdragon chipsets used in critical infrastructure applications including automotive infotainment systems, industrial control devices, and mobile communication platforms. Attackers could potentially leverage this flaw to gain persistent access to vehicle systems or IoT devices, creating risks for both personal safety and industrial security. The vulnerability's presence across both mobile and automotive chipsets suggests that the underlying memory management issue exists in Qualcomm's kernel thread implementation across different hardware architectures. Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper synchronization mechanisms between kernel thread cleanup and memory deallocation, including reference counting or memory barrier implementations to prevent premature deallocation. Additionally, system designers should consider implementing kernel memory protection features such as memory tagging or heap randomization to make exploitation more difficult. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management in kernel space and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through kernel exploits, making this a critical concern for organizations deploying Qualcomm-based systems in security-sensitive environments.