CVE-2020-11273 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE • 05/07/2021
Histogram type KPI was teardown with the assumption of the existence of histogram binning info and will lead to null pointer access when histogram binning info is missing due to lack of null check in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Mobile
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-11273 represents a critical null pointer dereference issue affecting multiple Snapdragon product lines including Auto, Compute, Connectivity, and Mobile platforms. This flaw manifests in the handling of histogram type Key Performance Indicators where the system attempts to teardown histogram binning information without proper validation of its existence. The underlying technical implementation assumes that histogram binning data will always be present, creating a fundamental design flaw that can be exploited when this assumption proves incorrect.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across various automotive and mobile computing environments where Snapdragon processors are deployed. When histogram binning information is absent due to incomplete initialization or data processing failures, the system attempts to access a null pointer during the teardown process, resulting in immediate system crashes or potential denial of service conditions. This behavior aligns with CWE-476 which specifically addresses null pointer dereference vulnerabilities, where a pointer that is expected to point to valid memory is instead null, leading to unpredictable system behavior. The vulnerability affects the stability and reliability of embedded systems where continuous operation is critical, particularly in automotive applications where system failures could have serious safety implications.
The root cause stems from inadequate input validation and missing null checks within the histogram processing subsystem of the Snapdragon firmware. This flaw demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where developers assumed the presence of certain data structures without implementing proper validation mechanisms. The vulnerability can be triggered through specific data processing sequences that result in the absence of histogram binning information, causing the system to attempt memory access operations on uninitialized or freed memory locations. This pattern of exploitation is consistent with ATT&CK technique T1489 which covers system shutdown/reboot attacks, as the null pointer dereference can cause system instability and forced restarts.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive null pointer validation before any teardown operations are performed on histogram binning data structures. The system should include proper error handling mechanisms that gracefully manage cases where histogram binning information is unavailable, rather than attempting direct memory access operations. Firmware updates should be prioritized across all affected Snapdragon product lines to address this vulnerability, with particular attention to automotive systems where reliability is paramount. Additionally, developers should implement defensive programming practices that validate all data structures before accessing their components, ensuring that the system can handle edge cases and incomplete data scenarios without crashing or entering undefined states.