CVE-2019-20577 in Samsung
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered on Samsung mobile devices with P(9.0) (Exynos chipsets) software. The MALI GPU Driver allows a kernel panic. The Samsung ID is SVE-2019-14372 (August 2019).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/04/2020
This vulnerability resides within the Mali GPU driver component of Samsung's Exynos chipsets running Android Pie version 9.0 operating system. The issue manifests as a kernel panic condition that can be triggered through specific malicious inputs or operations within the graphics processing subsystem. The vulnerability represents a critical flaw in the kernel-level GPU driver implementation that governs the interaction between the graphics processing unit and the operating system kernel.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the Mali GPU driver fails to properly validate or handle certain graphics processing commands or memory operations. This improper handling leads to a kernel panic, which is a critical system failure that causes the operating system kernel to halt operations and typically results in system crash or reboot. The flaw likely stems from inadequate bounds checking, memory corruption issues, or improper error handling within the GPU driver's kernel space code. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of kernel-level exploits that can potentially be leveraged for privilege escalation or system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for Samsung devices utilizing Exynos chipsets with Android Pie. A successful exploitation could result in complete system instability, forcing users to reboot their devices and potentially losing unsaved work or data. The vulnerability affects the core graphics processing functionality and can be triggered through normal user operations or malicious applications that attempt to utilize the GPU in ways that expose the driver flaw. This type of kernel panic vulnerability can also serve as a vector for more sophisticated attacks, as it may be possible to leverage the system instability to execute arbitrary code or gain elevated privileges within the system.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses "Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer" and represents a classic example of memory corruption in kernel space components. From an adversarial perspective, this flaw could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and T1547.001 which addresses "Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder" as potential attack vectors. Samsung addressed this specific vulnerability through firmware updates and kernel patches that corrected the GPU driver's memory handling and validation procedures. The resolution involved implementing proper bounds checking and error handling mechanisms within the Mali GPU driver to prevent the kernel panic condition from occurring during normal or malicious graphics processing operations. Users should ensure their devices receive the appropriate security updates to mitigate this risk and prevent potential exploitation by malicious actors targeting the graphics processing subsystem.