CVE-2019-14014 in Snapdragon Consumer IOT
Summary
by MITRE
Possible buffer overflow when byte array receives incorrect input from reading source as array is not null terminated in Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile in Nicobar, SDM670, SDM710, SDM845, SM6150, SM8150, SM8250, SXR2130
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical buffer overflow condition affecting multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets including the SDM670, SDM710, SDM845, SM6150, SM8150, SM8250, and SXR2130 processors. The flaw occurs within the Snapdragon Consumer IOT and Snapdragon Industrial IOT product lines where improper handling of byte array inputs leads to memory corruption. The technical root cause stems from insufficient input validation during array processing operations where the byte array receiving data does not properly implement null termination, creating conditions where malicious input can overwrite adjacent memory regions. This vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter execution through buffer overflow exploitation. The affected Snapdragon mobile platforms in Nicobar designation further compounds the risk as these processors are commonly found in mobile devices and embedded systems where such vulnerabilities can be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious applications or firmware updates.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple device categories including smartphones, tablets, and industrial IoT devices that rely on Qualcomm's mobile platform processors. Attackers exploiting this buffer overflow could potentially execute arbitrary code within the device's memory space, leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability's presence in multiple chipset variants means that security researchers and defenders must consider a broad range of affected devices when implementing mitigation strategies. The lack of proper null termination in byte array handling creates a persistent risk where even seemingly benign input processing can trigger memory corruption, making detection and prevention particularly challenging. This issue demonstrates the critical importance of proper memory management practices in embedded systems and mobile processors where input validation must account for all possible data conditions. The vulnerability's exploitation potential aligns with ATT&CK tactic T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through memory corruption techniques, making it particularly dangerous in environments where device-level access is required.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from device manufacturers and system administrators must prioritize patch management for affected Snapdragon-based devices. The recommended approach includes implementing proper input validation mechanisms that ensure all byte arrays are properly null terminated before processing, along with runtime memory protection features such as stack canaries and address space layout randomization. Security teams should also deploy network monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability, particularly focusing on unusual memory access patterns or code execution attempts. Device manufacturers should implement comprehensive code review processes that specifically examine array handling routines for proper boundary checking and null termination. The vulnerability's nature suggests that defensive measures should include runtime application control to prevent untrusted code execution and memory protection mechanisms that can detect and prevent buffer overflow conditions. Organizations should also consider implementing device enrollment and monitoring systems that can track vulnerable devices and ensure timely patch deployment across their entire device inventory. This vulnerability underscores the importance of secure coding practices in embedded systems and highlights the need for continuous security testing throughout the development lifecycle to prevent similar buffer overflow conditions from occurring in future implementations.