CVE-2019-10583 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
Use after free issue occurs when camera access sensors data through direct report mode in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables in APQ8096AU, MDM9607, MSM8909W, Nicobar, QCS605, SA6155P, SDA845, SDM429W, SDM670, SDM710, SDM845, SM6150, SM8150, SM8250, SXR1130, SXR2130
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-10583 represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Qualcomm's Snapdragon automotive and mobile platform implementations. This issue specifically manifests when camera access sensors data is processed through direct report mode, affecting a wide range of Snapdragon chipsets including APQ8096AU, MDM9607, MSM8909W, Nicobar, QCS605, SA6155P, SDA845, SDM429W, SDM670, SDM710, SDM845, SM6150, SM8150, SM8250, SXR1130, and SXR2130. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the camera sensor subsystem that handles direct report mode operations, creating conditions where freed memory blocks are still accessed by subsequent operations.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the camera sensor driver or middleware component that manages direct report mode data flow from hardware sensors to application layers. When processing sensor data through direct report mode, the system allocates memory for sensor data structures and subsequently frees this memory upon completion of processing. However, a race condition or improper synchronization mechanism exists that allows the system to reference freed memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability. This use-after-free condition typically occurs when the memory management subsystem fails to properly track references to allocated memory blocks, particularly in scenarios involving asynchronous sensor data reporting where timing and resource cleanup are critical.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple automotive and mobile platforms, creating significant security concerns for vehicle infotainment systems, mobile devices, and industrial IoT deployments. Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability to execute malicious code with kernel-level privileges, leading to complete system compromise. The direct report mode functionality is commonly used in automotive applications where real-time sensor data processing is essential for vehicle safety systems, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous. The exploitation could result in unauthorized access to vehicle systems, data exfiltration, or disruption of critical automotive functions, aligning with attack patterns documented in the attack tactic of privilege escalation and persistence.
This vulnerability maps to CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in memory management. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with the attack pattern described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation. The affected Snapdragon platforms span multiple generations and use cases, making the exploitation surface wide-ranging. Organizations deploying these chipsets in automotive applications must consider the potential for remote code execution through sensor data manipulation, as the vulnerability could be triggered through malicious sensor inputs or compromised sensor data streams. The remediation approach requires firmware updates from device manufacturers, along with proper memory management implementation that prevents referencing freed memory blocks in the camera sensor direct report mode handler.
Security practitioners should implement monitoring for anomalous sensor data patterns and memory allocation behaviors in automotive and IoT deployments. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper memory management in embedded systems and the need for thorough testing of asynchronous data processing pathways. Organizations should prioritize patch management for affected Snapdragon platforms and consider implementing additional runtime protections for sensor data processing components. The attack surface extends beyond simple code execution to include potential denial of service conditions and data integrity compromises, particularly in safety-critical automotive applications where sensor data reliability is paramount.