CVE-2020-9249 in P30
Summary
by MITRE
HUAWEI P30 smartphones with versions earlier than 10.1.0.160(C00E160R2P11) have a denial of service vulnerability. A module does not deal with mal-crafted messages and it leads to memory leak. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to make the device denial of service.Affected product versions include: HUAWEI P30 versions Versions earlier than 10.1.0.160(C00E160R2P11).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/31/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-9249 affects HUAWEI P30 smartphones running firmware versions prior to 10.1.0.160(C00E160R2P11), representing a critical denial of service weakness that compromises device stability and availability. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within a specific system module responsible for processing communication protocols, where the module fails to properly handle malformed or crafted messages that deviate from expected parameters. The flaw manifests as a memory leak condition that occurs when the system encounters unexpected message structures, leading to progressive memory consumption that eventually results in system instability and complete service disruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes memory allocation and deallocation issues as a primary concern for system reliability. When maliciously crafted messages are processed by the affected module, the system's memory management mechanisms become overwhelmed as resources are continuously allocated without proper deallocation, creating a cascading effect that depletes available memory pools. This memory leak pattern represents a classic denial of service attack vector where the attacker can repeatedly send malformed packets or messages to trigger the vulnerability, causing the device to become unresponsive or require manual rebooting to restore normal operation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to end users as it can be exploited remotely through various communication channels without requiring physical access or elevated privileges. The attack surface includes wireless protocols, messaging systems, and potentially network-based services that utilize the vulnerable module for processing incoming data. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption to potentially compromise device security posture, as a compromised device may become vulnerable to additional exploitation vectors once the initial denial of service condition is established. Security researchers have noted that the vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous in environments where mobile device security is paramount.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2020-9249 centers on firmware updates provided by HUAWEI, specifically targeting the 10.1.0.160(C00E160R2P11) release and subsequent versions that contain patched implementations of the vulnerable module. System administrators and device owners should prioritize immediate firmware upgrades to address the memory leak condition and restore proper input validation mechanisms. Additional protective measures include network segmentation to limit exposure to potentially malicious communication channels, implementing network monitoring to detect unusual message patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, and establishing device management policies that enforce regular security updates. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service demonstrates the importance of layered defensive strategies that address both endpoint security and network-level protections to prevent successful exploitation of such memory management flaws.