CVE-2019-2292 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
Out of bound access can occur due to buffer copy without checking size of input received from WLAN firmware in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music in MDM9150, MDM9650, MSM8996AU, QCA6574AU, QCS405, QCS605, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 425, SD 427, SD 430, SD 435, SD 450, SD 625, SD 636, SD 665, SD 712 / SD 710 / SD 670, SD 730, SD 820A, SD 835, SD 845 / SD 850, SD 855, SDA660, SDM630, SDM660, SDX20, SDX24
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical out-of-bounds memory access flaw that can be exploited through improper buffer handling within the wireless firmware communication stack of various Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. The issue manifests when the system copies data from WLAN firmware without validating the size of the incoming data buffer, creating a potential avenue for arbitrary code execution or system instability. The vulnerability affects a broad range of automotive, consumer IoT, industrial IoT, mobile, and voice/music applications that utilize these chipsets, making it particularly concerning for embedded systems and connected devices.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the firmware processing pipeline, specifically in how the system handles data received from wireless network interfaces. When WLAN firmware transmits data to the baseband processor, the receiving code fails to verify that the incoming buffer size matches expected parameters before performing memory copy operations. This classic buffer overflow condition can be exploited by malicious actors who craft specially formatted wireless packets designed to trigger the out-of-bounds memory access. The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-129, which describes improper validation of array indices, and CWE-787, which addresses out-of-bounds write operations. The attack surface extends across multiple generations of Snapdragon processors, including both mobile and automotive variants, indicating a systemic design flaw rather than an isolated incident.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes or hangs, as it can potentially enable remote code execution within the affected devices. Attackers who can inject malicious wireless traffic could leverage this flaw to gain elevated privileges on the target system, potentially leading to complete device compromise. The widespread deployment of these chipsets in automotive systems, IoT devices, and mobile platforms creates a significant risk landscape where multiple attack vectors become available. This vulnerability particularly affects automotive applications through the Snapdragon Auto platform, where wireless connectivity is essential for vehicle functionality, and consumer IoT devices where the attack surface may include home networks and connected appliances. The exploitation could result in denial of service conditions, data exfiltration, or complete system takeover, depending on the specific implementation and attack context.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper input validation and bounds checking mechanisms within the firmware processing code. System administrators and device manufacturers should prioritize firmware updates from Qualcomm to address this vulnerability, as the patch typically involves adding size validation checks before memory copy operations. Network segmentation and wireless traffic filtering can provide additional protective layers, while monitoring for unusual wireless traffic patterns may help detect potential exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059, which describes command and scripting interpreter techniques, as exploitation may involve executing malicious code through the compromised wireless interface. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to monitor for patterns consistent with buffer overflow exploitation attempts, particularly in automotive and industrial environments where the impact of such vulnerabilities could be catastrophic.