CVE-2019-2258 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
Improper validation of array index causes OOB write and then leads to memory corruption in MMCP in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon IoT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables in MDM9150, MDM9607, MDM9615, MDM9625, MDM9635M, MDM9640, MDM9650, MDM9655, 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 615/16/SD 415, SD 625, SD 632, SD 636, SD 650/52, SD 665, 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, SDM439, SDM630, SDM660, SDX20, Snapdragon_High_Med_2016, SXR1130
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/07/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-2258 represents a critical memory safety issue within the Memory Management Controller Protocol (MMCP) implementation across multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. This flaw manifests as improper validation of array indices which creates opportunities for out-of-bounds write operations and subsequent memory corruption. The vulnerability affects a broad range of automotive, mobile, and IoT products including the MDM9150, MDM9607, and various Snapdragon mobile platforms, indicating a widespread impact across Qualcomm's product portfolio.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient input validation mechanisms within the MMCP subsystem that handles memory management operations. When processing array access requests, the system fails to properly validate index boundaries before performing write operations, allowing attackers to specify array indices that exceed allocated memory limits. This fundamental flaw in validation logic creates a pathway for arbitrary memory corruption that can be exploited to execute malicious code or cause system instability. The vulnerability operates at a low-level system interface where memory management protocols interact with hardware components, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect core system operations and potentially lead to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple domains of Qualcomm's product ecosystem, affecting automotive systems, consumer mobile devices, and industrial IoT deployments. Attackers could potentially leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to system memory, manipulate critical data structures, or execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The widespread presence of affected chipsets means that numerous devices across different industries could be compromised, including vehicles, mobile phones, industrial sensors, and consumer electronics. This vulnerability particularly threatens automotive applications where system reliability and safety are paramount, as memory corruption could potentially affect vehicle control systems or safety mechanisms.
Security practitioners should implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. Immediate patching of affected firmware and software components represents the primary defense mechanism, as Qualcomm has released updates to correct the array validation logic. Network segmentation and access controls can help limit potential attack surfaces, while runtime monitoring systems should be deployed to detect anomalous memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which specifically addresses improper validation of array index values, and could potentially map to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and memory corruption. Organizations should also consider implementing exploit prevention measures such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries to make exploitation more difficult. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to ensure comprehensive coverage of all affected platforms and prevent similar issues from emerging in future implementations.