CVE-2020-3610 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE
Possibility of double free of the drawobj that is added to the drawqueue array of the context during IOCTL commands as there is no refcount taken for this object in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables in APQ8009, APQ8053, APQ8096AU, APQ8098, MSM8909W, MSM8917, MSM8953, MSM8996AU, Nicobar, QCS405, QCS605, QM215, Rennell, SA415M, Saipan, SC8180X, SDA660, SDA845, SDM429, SDM429W, SDM439, SDM450, SDM630, SDM632, SDM636, SDM660, SDM670, SDM710, SDM845, SDX20, SDX24, SDX55, SM6150, SM7150, SM8150, SM8250, SXR2130
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical memory safety issue affecting multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon processor variants across automotive, mobile, and IoT device categories. The flaw manifests as a potential double free condition within the graphics draw object management system, specifically when processing IOCTL commands that manipulate the drawqueue array. The vulnerability stems from the absence of proper reference counting mechanisms for draw objects that are added to the context's drawqueue array, creating a scenario where the same memory object can be freed twice during concurrent operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the graphics subsystem's kernel drivers where IOCTL commands are processed to manage rendering operations. When a draw object is added to the drawqueue array, the system fails to maintain proper reference counting, allowing for the possibility that the same object reference may be processed multiple times for deallocation. This double free condition creates exploitable memory corruption that could potentially be leveraged by malicious actors to execute arbitrary code or cause system instability. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Qualcomm SoC platforms including APQ8009, APQ8053, APQ8096AU, and numerous other variants across different product lines.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to device security and stability across automotive systems, mobile devices, and IoT deployments. The double free condition could enable privilege escalation attacks, denial of service scenarios, or potentially remote code execution depending on the attack surface and exploitation conditions. The impact extends across multiple device categories including automotive infotainment systems, mobile phones, wearable devices, and industrial IoT equipment that rely on Qualcomm's Snapdragon platform. The vulnerability's widespread presence across different processor variants indicates a fundamental design flaw in the graphics subsystem's memory management approach.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-415, which describes improper handling of double free conditions in memory management operations. This flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as exploitation could involve manipulating system calls to trigger the memory corruption. The affected platforms span across Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, and various mobile and IoT product lines, indicating the vulnerability's broad impact across Qualcomm's product portfolio. Organizations should prioritize patching affected systems and implementing monitoring for unusual system behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The lack of proper reference counting demonstrates a failure to follow secure coding practices and proper resource management protocols that are essential for preventing memory safety vulnerabilities in kernel-level components.