CVE-2019-2294 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
Usage of hard-coded magic number for calculating heap guard bytes can allow users to corrupt heap blocks without heap algorithm knowledge 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 Wearables in MDM9205, MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9615, MDM9625, MDM9635M, MDM9655, MSM8909W, MSM8996AU, QCS605, Qualcomm 215, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 427, SD 430, SD 435, SD 439 / SD 429, SD 450, 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, Snapdragon_High_Med_2016, SXR1130
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/17/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2019-2294 represents a critical heap corruption issue affecting multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets across various product lines including automotive, mobile, and IoT devices. This flaw stems from the improper implementation of heap guard byte calculations where a hard-coded magic number is utilized instead of dynamically calculated values. The vulnerability exists within the memory management subsystem of these processors, specifically impacting how heap blocks are protected against corruption. Attackers can exploit this weakness to manipulate heap memory structures without requiring deep understanding of the underlying heap algorithms, making the exploit relatively accessible to threat actors with basic knowledge of memory corruption techniques.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a predictable pattern where a fixed magic number is used to establish guard bytes that should protect heap metadata from being overwritten or corrupted. When this magic number becomes known to an attacker, they can craft specific inputs or memory operations that bypass the intended heap protection mechanisms. This hard-coded approach violates fundamental security principles for memory management systems and creates a predictable attack surface that allows for precise heap corruption. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Snapdragon processors including the MDM9205, MDM9206, MDM9607, and numerous other models across different generations, indicating a systemic issue in the Qualcomm memory management implementation that spans multiple product families.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption to potentially enable arbitrary code execution within the affected systems. Attackers who successfully exploit this weakness could gain unauthorized access to device functionality, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects devices in critical sectors including automotive systems, industrial IoT deployments, and consumer electronics where heap corruption could result in safety-critical failures. The widespread nature of affected chipsets means that numerous devices across different industries could be vulnerable to similar exploitation techniques, creating a substantial attack surface that threat actors could leverage. This vulnerability particularly impacts systems where heap management is critical for device operation, such as in automotive infotainment systems, industrial control systems, and mobile devices with complex memory management requirements.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing dynamic heap guard calculations instead of relying on hard-coded values, which aligns with common security practices outlined in CWE-129 and CWE-131 categories related to improper input validation and buffer overflow conditions. Organizations should prioritize updating firmware and software components to address this issue, particularly in mission-critical deployments where device compromise could have severe consequences. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper memory management implementation in embedded systems, as outlined in ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through heap manipulation. Device manufacturers should implement runtime checks for heap integrity and consider adopting more sophisticated heap management algorithms that do not rely on predictable patterns. Additionally, security researchers and vendors should conduct comprehensive code reviews of memory management components to identify similar hard-coded values that could present analogous vulnerabilities across different software and hardware implementations.