CVE-2019-2240 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
While sending the rendered surface content to the screen, Error handling is not properly checked results in an unpredictable behaviour in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon IoT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wired Infrastructure and Networking in IPQ4019, IPQ8064, IPQ8074, MDM9150, MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9640, MDM9650, MSM8996AU, QCA6174A, QCA6564, QCA6574, QCA6574AU, QCA6584, QCA6584AU, QCA8081, QCA9377, QCA9379, QCA9531, QCA9880, QCA9886, QCA9980, QCN5502, QCS404, QCS605, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 425, SD 600, SD 625, SD 636, SD 675, SD 712 / SD 710 / SD 670, SD 730, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, SD 845 / SD 850, SD 855, SD 8CX, SDA660, SDM630, SDM660, SDX20, SDX24, SXR1130
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical error handling flaw in Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipset family that affects a broad range of automotive, mobile, and IoT devices. The issue manifests during the rendering surface content transmission process to display screens, where inadequate error checking mechanisms lead to unpredictable system behavior. This vulnerability impacts multiple generations of Qualcomm's mobile, automotive, and networking processors including the IPQ4019, IPQ8064, IPQ8074, MDM9150, MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9640, MDM9650, MSM8996AU, QCA6174A, QCA6564, QCA6574, QCA6574AU, QCA6584, QCA6584AU, QCA8081, QCA9377, QCA9379, QCA9531, QCA9880, QCA9886, QCA9980, QCN5502, QCS404, QCS605, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 425, SD 600, SD 625, SD 636, SD 675, SD 712 / SD 710 / SD 670, SD 730, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, SD 845 / SD 850, SD 855, SD 8CX, SDA660, SDM630, SDM660, SDX20, SDX24, SXR1130 chipsets. The vulnerability falls under CWE-252, which specifically addresses improper handling of error conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. The root cause stems from insufficient validation of rendering operations within the graphics subsystem, where error states from surface content transmission are not properly captured or handled, potentially leading to memory corruption, display artifacts, or complete system instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple security domains and device categories, creating significant risks for automotive systems, industrial IoT deployments, and consumer electronics. In automotive applications such as Snapdragon Auto, the vulnerability could compromise infotainment systems, instrument clusters, or driver assistance displays, potentially leading to safety-critical failures during vehicle operation. For Snapdragon Compute and Connectivity devices, the unpredictable behavior may result in application crashes, display malfunctions, or system hangs that could affect network connectivity or data processing capabilities. The vulnerability's presence in Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity and Consumer IOT devices means that everyday consumer electronics including smart home devices, wearables, and mobile phones could experience unexpected display behavior, application failures, or degraded user experience. The widespread nature of affected chipsets means that this vulnerability spans across multiple device types, from smartphones and tablets to automotive infotainment systems, industrial sensors, and networking equipment. The lack of proper error handling during surface rendering operations creates opportunities for attackers to potentially exploit the system instability for privilege escalation or denial-of-service attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require a multi-layered approach addressing both immediate patching and operational security measures. Organizations should prioritize applying the latest Qualcomm security patches and firmware updates as released through official channels, as these updates specifically address the error handling deficiencies in the graphics rendering subsystem. System administrators should implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual display behavior or system instability patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's nature suggests that defensive measures should focus on input validation and error state management within graphics processing components, potentially through the implementation of additional runtime checks or sandboxing mechanisms. For automotive applications, additional security measures such as redundant display systems or fail-safe modes may be necessary to ensure continued operation during potential exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit potential lateral movement if the vulnerability is exploited in connected device environments. Organizations should also consider implementing behavioral monitoring for graphics rendering processes and establishing incident response procedures specifically tailored to handle display-related system instability issues. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-252 emphasizes the importance of comprehensive error handling design principles, requiring developers to ensure that all error conditions are properly validated and managed throughout the graphics processing pipeline. Regular security assessments of embedded systems should include specific testing of error handling mechanisms in rendering components to prevent similar issues from emerging in future implementations.