CVE-2019-9360 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In the TEE, there's a possible out of bounds read due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to local information disclosure with System execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Product: AndroidVersions: Android-10Android ID: A-120610663
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/13/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-9360 resides within the Trusted Execution Environment of Android 10 systems, representing a critical out-of-bounds read flaw that fundamentally compromises system security. This vulnerability manifests as a missing bounds check within the TEE's memory management operations, creating a scenario where unauthorized data access can occur without requiring user interaction or additional privileges beyond system execution rights. The TEE serves as a secure compartment within Android devices designed to protect sensitive operations and data processing, making this flaw particularly concerning for maintaining the integrity of device security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the TEE's memory access routines, where the system fails to properly verify array or buffer boundaries before accessing memory locations. This missing bounds check creates a predictable pathway for attackers to read memory contents beyond intended allocation boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive data such as cryptographic keys, authentication credentials, or other confidential information stored within the secure execution environment. The flaw operates at a low-level system interface where the TEE interacts with the main operating system, making exploitation particularly stealthy and difficult to detect through conventional monitoring mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables local information disclosure attacks that can be executed with system-level privileges, meaning that an attacker with access to a device's system execution context can leverage this flaw to extract sensitive data from memory locations that should remain protected. The absence of user interaction requirements significantly increases the exploitability factor, as the vulnerability can be triggered automatically without any user involvement or specific actions needed from the device owner. This characteristic aligns with attack patterns classified under the MITRE ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the TEE's secure memory management capabilities.
The security implications extend beyond simple data exposure, as this vulnerability could potentially serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks within the Android security model. Attackers could use the information disclosure to gain insights into the TEE's internal operations and memory layouts, potentially enabling them to craft more targeted exploits against other system components. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-129 represents a fundamental weakness in input validation, where insufficient bounds checking allows for memory access violations that can compromise the confidentiality of sensitive data. Remediation efforts typically involve implementing proper bounds checking mechanisms within the TEE's memory management code and ensuring that all array accesses are validated against their declared boundaries. The Android security team addressed this vulnerability through system updates that enforced stricter memory access controls within the TEE, requiring device manufacturers to incorporate these security patches into their Android 10 releases to prevent exploitation of this critical flaw.