CVE-2019-9450 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In the Android kernel in the FingerTipS touchscreen driver there is a possible memory corruption due to a race condition. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with System execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-9450 resides within the Android kernel's FingerTipS touchscreen driver component, representing a critical memory corruption issue that stems from an inherent race condition in the driver's implementation. This flaw affects the fundamental touch input handling mechanism that governs how touchscreen devices communicate with the Android operating system's kernel space. The race condition manifests when multiple threads or processes attempt to access shared memory resources within the touchscreen driver simultaneously, creating a scenario where memory operations can overlap or interfere with each other in unpredictable ways. Such conditions are particularly dangerous in kernel space environments where improper memory handling can result in system instability or complete compromise of the device's security posture.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it firmly within the realm of kernel-level memory corruption flaws, specifically categorized under CWE-362 which denotes Race Conditions in kernel space operations. The flaw enables a local attacker to potentially escalate privileges from a regular user context to system-level execution privileges, effectively granting them complete control over the device's kernel operations. This privilege escalation occurs because the race condition allows malicious code to manipulate memory structures that should be protected from user-space access, creating a pathway for unauthorized system modifications. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only system execution privileges, meaning that an attacker who already has basic user-level access to the device can leverage this flaw to gain root-level control without requiring additional authentication or specialized user interaction.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe threat to mobile device security as it allows for automatic privilege escalation without user intervention, making it particularly dangerous in environments where devices may be compromised through other attack vectors. The FingerTipS touchscreen driver is commonly used across various Android devices, meaning that a large number of devices could potentially be affected by this vulnerability. The lack of user interaction requirements for exploitation means that an attacker could compromise a device simply by having the device running with the vulnerable driver, without needing to trick the user into performing specific actions. This characteristic aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which involves the use of local privilege escalation techniques to gain system-level access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-9450 primarily focus on patching the affected kernel components and ensuring that device manufacturers provide timely security updates to their users. The recommended approach involves updating the Android kernel to versions that contain fixes for the race condition in the FingerTipS driver, typically through official security patches released by Google or device manufacturers. System administrators and security teams should prioritize deploying these patches across all affected devices, particularly in enterprise environments where device security is paramount. Additionally, implementing runtime monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous memory access patterns or thread behavior within the kernel space can serve as an additional defensive measure against exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing device hardening practices such as disabling unnecessary touchscreen drivers when not in use and maintaining strict access controls to prevent unauthorized code execution in kernel space environments.