CVE-2020-11257 in Snapdragon Wired Infrastructure and Networking
Summary
by MITRE • 06/09/2021
Memory corruption due to lack of validation of pointer arguments passed to TrustZone BSP in Snapdragon Wired Infrastructure and Networking
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2021
This vulnerability resides within the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset family's TrustZone security subsystem, specifically affecting the Baseband Software Platform components that handle wired infrastructure and networking functions. The flaw manifests as a memory corruption issue stemming from inadequate validation of pointer arguments that traverse the boundary between the secure and non-secure worlds within the TrustZone architecture. Such pointer validation failures represent a critical weakness in the ARM TrustZone security model where improper input handling can lead to arbitrary code execution or privilege escalation. The vulnerability affects multiple Snapdragon processor variants including those used in smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices that rely on Qualcomm's secure execution environment for network connectivity and infrastructure management.
The technical root cause of CVE-2020-11257 can be categorized under CWE-787: "Out-of-bounds Write" and CWE-125: "Out-of-bounds Read" within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, demonstrating how insufficient pointer validation creates opportunities for memory corruption attacks. When the TrustZone BSP receives pointer arguments from the non-secure world, it fails to properly validate the memory addresses, sizes, or access permissions associated with these pointers before processing them. This lack of validation allows an attacker to craft malicious pointer values that can overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting critical system data structures, kernel memory, or even the TrustZone secure world itself. The vulnerability specifically impacts the wireless infrastructure components that manage network connections, making it particularly dangerous for mobile devices that frequently connect to cellular networks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it provides potential attack vectors for privilege escalation within the TrustZone environment. Attackers could exploit this weakness to gain elevated privileges within the secure world, potentially compromising the entire device's security posture. The vulnerability affects devices running Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors and is particularly concerning for enterprise environments where mobile devices handle sensitive corporate data. The exploitation typically requires a malicious application or firmware component to be present on the device, as the attack must originate from the non-secure world to affect the secure world components. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where users might unknowingly install compromised applications or when supply chain attacks target the device firmware itself.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-11257 should focus on implementing comprehensive pointer validation mechanisms within the TrustZone BSP components and ensuring proper input sanitization before any pointer arguments are processed. Organizations should prioritize applying the latest security patches from Qualcomm and ensure all devices in their fleet receive timely updates to address this vulnerability. The mitigation approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068: "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and T1547.001: "Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder" as attackers might attempt to establish persistence through compromised secure world components. Device manufacturers should implement additional runtime monitoring to detect anomalous pointer behavior and consider firmware-level protections that can detect and prevent malicious pointer manipulation attempts. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to suspicious network connections or unauthorized privilege escalation attempts that might signal exploitation of this vulnerability within their environments.