CVE-2021-0422 in MT6580
Summary
by MITRE • 09/27/2021
In memory management driver, there is a possible system crash due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to local denial of service with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Patch ID: ALPS05403499; Issue ID: ALPS05381071.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/02/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-0422 resides within the memory management driver component of a mobile operating system, specifically affecting Android-based devices. This issue manifests as a missing bounds check in the memory management subsystem, which represents a fundamental flaw in how the system handles memory allocation and deallocation operations. The absence of proper boundary validation creates a condition where malicious actors can manipulate memory access patterns to trigger unexpected behavior in the kernel-level driver responsible for managing system memory resources.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses insufficient bounds checking, and CWE-131, which deals with incorrect calculation of buffer size. When the memory management driver processes memory operations without proper validation of input parameters or memory boundaries, it becomes susceptible to buffer overflow conditions that can cause system instability. The flaw operates at the kernel level where memory management operations occur, making it particularly dangerous as it can directly impact system stability and potentially allow for privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability does not require any user interaction for exploitation, meaning that an attacker can trigger the condition simply by causing the system to perform specific memory management operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability constitutes a local denial of service condition that can result in complete system crashes or reboots without requiring any special privileges or execution rights. This means that any process running on the device, whether legitimate or malicious, can potentially exploit this condition to cause system instability. The lack of user interaction requirements makes this vulnerability particularly concerning as it can be triggered automatically during normal system operation, potentially leading to unexpected system shutdowns or restarts. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004 which covers system shutdown/reboot and T1068 which deals with exploit for privilege escalation, though the current impact is limited to denial of service rather than full system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-0422 should focus on implementing proper bounds checking mechanisms within the memory management driver code. The patch ALPS05403499 addresses this issue by adding comprehensive validation checks to ensure that all memory operations adhere to proper boundary constraints before execution. System administrators and device manufacturers should prioritize applying the vendor-provided patch immediately, as this vulnerability can be exploited to cause persistent system instability that affects user experience and potentially creates security concerns. Additionally, implementing runtime memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries and address space layout randomization can provide additional defense in depth against similar vulnerabilities. Regular security audits of kernel components and memory management subsystems should be conducted to identify and remediate similar boundary checking deficiencies that could lead to system instability or security compromise.