CVE-2020-11299 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE • 03/17/2021
Buffer overflow can occur in video while playing the non-standard clip in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/02/2021
This vulnerability represents a critical buffer overflow condition that affects multiple Snapdragon product lines including automotive, mobile, and IoT devices. The flaw manifests specifically when processing non-standard video clips, creating a potential pathway for arbitrary code execution and system compromise. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory boundary checks within the video processing pipeline, allowing maliciously crafted media files to overwrite adjacent memory regions. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which describes direct reference to memory before the beginning or beyond the end of a buffer, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. The affected Snapdragon product categories span from automotive systems in Snapdragon Auto to consumer IoT devices in Snapdragon Consumer IOT, indicating a broad attack surface that could impact various device types. The buffer overflow occurs during video playback operations when the system fails to properly validate the size and structure of incoming media data, particularly when encountering non-standard or malformed video formats. This processing failure creates opportunities for attackers to inject malicious code that could execute with the privileges of the affected application, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass full system takeover capabilities. Attackers could exploit this weakness by crafting specially designed video files that trigger the buffer overflow during playback, potentially gaining unauthorized access to device resources, data exfiltration capabilities, or persistent backdoor installation. The vulnerability's presence across multiple Snapdragon product lines means that automotive systems could be compromised through infected media files, while mobile and IoT devices face similar risks through malicious video content. This widespread impact aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for exploitation for privilege escalation and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation. The specific targeting of non-standard video clips suggests that legitimate media processing operations may remain unaffected, but this creates a false sense of security as attackers could potentially bypass standard security measures by using obscure or malformed media formats. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond playing the malicious content, making it particularly dangerous in environments where automatic media playback occurs.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate security gap and broader system hardening requirements. Device manufacturers should implement comprehensive input validation and bounds checking mechanisms within their video processing libraries to prevent buffer overflows during media file handling. Memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and data execution prevention should be enabled to reduce exploitation success rates. Regular firmware updates and security patches are essential for maintaining system integrity, particularly given the wide range of affected product categories. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual media file processing patterns and potential buffer overflow attempts. Organizations should also consider network-based intrusion detection systems to identify and block malicious media content before it reaches end-user devices. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and thorough testing of media processing components, particularly in embedded systems where resource constraints may limit the implementation of comprehensive security measures. Compliance with industry standards such as ISO/IEC 27001 for information security management and NIST cybersecurity frameworks should be maintained to ensure robust protection against similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, threat intelligence sharing and coordinated vulnerability disclosure practices are crucial for rapid response and mitigation across the affected Snapdragon ecosystem.