CVE-2019-14112 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
Potential buffer overflow while processing CBF frames due to lack of check of buffer length before copy in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Wired Infrastructure and Networking in APQ8098, IPQ6018, IPQ8074, MSM8998, Nicobar, QCA8081, QCN7605, QCS404, QCS605, Rennell, SC7180, SC8180X, SDA660, SDA845, SDM630, SDM636, SDM660, SDM670, SDM710, SDM845, SDM850, SM6150, SM7150, SM8150, SXR1130, SXR2130
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/17/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical buffer overflow condition that affects multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets across various product lines including automotive, mobile, industrial, and consumer connectivity devices. The flaw occurs during the processing of CBF frames where insufficient validation of buffer lengths precedes memory copy operations, creating opportunities for attackers to exploit memory corruption vulnerabilities. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Snapdragon platforms including APQ8098, IPQ6018, IPQ8074, MSM8998, Nicobar, QCA8081, QCN7605, QCS404, QCS605, Rennell, SC7180, SC8180X, SDA660, SDA845, SDM630, SDM636, SDM660, SDM670, SDM710, SDM845, SDM850, SM6150, SM7150, SM8150, SXR1130, and SXR2130. The root cause maps to CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: Visual Basic, and T1555.003 for Credentials from Password Stores: Windows Credential Manager, as it could enable privilege escalation and credential theft through memory corruption exploits. The operational impact is significant as these chipsets are deployed in critical infrastructure and mobile devices, potentially allowing remote code execution and system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects both automotive and consumer electronics platforms, meaning that exploitation could impact vehicle systems, industrial IoT devices, and mobile communications. Attackers could leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise and data exfiltration. The lack of proper buffer length validation creates a predictable pattern where attackers can craft malicious CBF frames that trigger the overflow condition. This vulnerability is classified as a heap-based buffer overflow, where the insufficient bounds checking during memory copy operations allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory segments. The affected platforms span across Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, and Snapdragon Wired Infrastructure and Networking, indicating a widespread impact across Qualcomm's product portfolio. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the fact that these chipsets are used in mission-critical applications including automotive infotainment systems, industrial control systems, and mobile communication devices. The exploitation of this vulnerability could result in persistent backdoors, data theft, and system-wide compromise. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including firmware updates from Qualcomm, network segmentation to limit exposure, and monitoring for anomalous CBF frame traffic patterns. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation in embedded systems and the need for comprehensive security testing of network processing components. This flaw demonstrates how seemingly minor implementation gaps in buffer management can result in critical security vulnerabilities across multiple device categories and industries. The attack surface extends beyond traditional mobile devices to include automotive systems and industrial IoT deployments where these chipsets are commonly integrated. System administrators should prioritize patch management and consider implementing runtime protections to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of memory safety practices in embedded systems development and the potential consequences of inadequate bounds checking mechanisms.