CVE-2019-14026 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
Possible buffer overflow in WLAN WMI handler due to lack of ssid length check when copying data 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 APQ8009, APQ8017, APQ8053, APQ8096, APQ8096AU, APQ8098, IPQ6018, IPQ8074, MDM9206, MDM9207C, MDM9607, MDM9640, MDM9650, MSM8996AU, MSM8998, Nicobar, QCA6174A, QCA6574, QCA6574AU, QCA6584AU, QCA8081, QCA9377, QCA9379, QCA9886, QCN7605, QCS404, QCS405, QCS605, Rennell, SA6155P, SC8180X, SDA660, SDA845, SDM630, SDM636, SDM660, SDM670, SDM710, SDM845, SDM850, SDX20, SDX24, SM6150, SM7150, SM8150, SM8250, SXR1130, SXR2130
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/06/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the Wireless Local Area Network WMI handler component of Qualcomm's Snapdragon automotive and consumer connectivity platforms. The flaw stems from insufficient validation of the ssid length parameter during data copying operations, creating an exploitable condition that could allow malicious actors to overwrite adjacent memory regions. The vulnerability affects a comprehensive range of Qualcomm chipsets spanning automotive, mobile, industrial, and networking applications, indicating a widespread impact across multiple product lines and use cases. The absence of proper bounds checking during ssid parameter processing creates a predictable attack surface where an attacker could craft malicious wireless network configurations to trigger the overflow condition.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the WMI (Wireless Management Interface) handler receiving wireless network service set identifier data without proper validation of its length constraints. When the system attempts to copy this ssid data into a predetermined buffer, the lack of length verification allows for potential buffer overflows to occur. This pattern aligns with common software security weaknesses classified under CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions. The operational impact extends beyond simple memory corruption, as this vulnerability could potentially enable arbitrary code execution within the context of the wireless management subsystem. Attackers could leverage this condition to gain elevated privileges or cause system instability, particularly in automotive environments where wireless connectivity is critical for vehicle operations and safety systems.
The attack surface encompasses various Snapdragon platform variants including automotive-specific chipsets like the SA6155P and SC8180X, alongside consumer-grade processors such as the SDM845 and SDM850. This broad scope indicates that the vulnerability affects not only mobile devices but also automotive infotainment systems, industrial IoT deployments, and wired infrastructure networking equipment. The exploitation potential increases significantly when considering the widespread adoption of these chipsets across multiple industries and device categories. The vulnerability's presence in both automotive and consumer electronics platforms creates a particularly concerning scenario where attackers could potentially compromise vehicle safety systems, industrial control networks, or consumer devices through wireless network configuration manipulation.
Organizations utilizing affected platforms should implement immediate mitigations including firmware updates from Qualcomm, network segmentation to limit wireless configuration access, and enhanced monitoring of wireless network management interfaces. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation in embedded systems and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of wireless management interfaces. From an operational security perspective, this flaw represents a significant concern for supply chain security and could impact compliance with automotive safety standards such as ISO 26262. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands through the compromised wireless management subsystem. System administrators should prioritize patch management for affected devices and consider implementing network access controls to limit wireless configuration privileges, particularly in critical infrastructure environments where the consequences of exploitation could be severe.