CVE-2019-2245 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
Possible integer underflow can happen when calculating length of elementary stream map from invalid packet length which is later used to read from input buffer in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon IoT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables in MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9650, MSM8909W, MSM8996AU, QCS605, Qualcomm 215, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 425, SD 427, SD 430, SD 435, SD 439 / SD 429, SD 450, SD 600, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 625, SD 632, SD 636, SD 675, SD 712 / SD 710 / SD 670, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, SD 845 / SD 850, SD 855, SDA660, SDM439, SDM630, SDM660, SDX20, SM7150, Snapdragon_High_Med_2016
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/16/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical integer underflow condition that occurs during the processing of elementary stream maps in multimedia packet handling within various Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. The flaw manifests when the system calculates the length of an elementary stream map using an invalid packet length value, which subsequently leads to incorrect buffer boundary calculations. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-190 category for integer overflow/underflow conditions, specifically representing an integer underflow that can result in memory corruption. The vulnerability affects a broad range of Qualcomm automotive, mobile, and IoT platforms, indicating a widespread exposure across multiple product lines including the MDM9206, MDM9607, and numerous Snapdragon series processors.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of packet length fields during multimedia stream processing, where an attacker can craft malicious input that causes the length calculation to underflow to a very small or negative value. When this underflowed value is subsequently used to determine buffer read operations, it creates a scenario where the system attempts to read from memory locations that are either outside the intended buffer boundaries or at locations that contain sensitive data. This creates opportunities for information disclosure, arbitrary code execution, or system instability depending on the specific implementation and memory layout. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the packet processing level where multimedia streams are decoded and handled, making it exploitable through crafted media files or network packets.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple domains including automotive infotainment systems, mobile devices, and IoT deployments that rely on Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors. Attackers could potentially leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on affected devices, leading to complete system compromise or unauthorized access to sensitive information. The widespread deployment of these chipsets in automotive applications makes this particularly dangerous as it could affect vehicle infotainment systems, telematics units, and even safety-critical systems. The vulnerability's presence in both mobile and automotive platforms suggests that it could be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious media files, network-based attacks, or physical device compromise, all of which align with techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation and code execution tactics.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on input validation and boundary checking mechanisms within the multimedia packet processing components. System administrators should ensure that all affected devices receive firmware and software updates from Qualcomm and device manufacturers to address the integer underflow condition. The implementation of robust buffer overflow protection mechanisms, including stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and memory safety checks, should be prioritized. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect anomalous packet behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their automotive and IoT deployments to identify and patch all affected Snapdragon-based systems, particularly those in critical infrastructure applications where the potential for system compromise could have severe operational consequences.