CVE-2021-1897 in Snapdragon Consumer IOT
Summary
by MITRE • 07/13/2021
Possible Buffer Over-read due to lack of validation of boundary checks when loading splash image in Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/16/2021
This vulnerability represents a critical buffer over-read condition that occurs during the processing of splash images within various Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. The flaw stems from insufficient boundary validation mechanisms when loading splash images, creating a scenario where the system attempts to read memory beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This issue affects multiple Snapdragon product lines including consumer iot, industrial iot, mobile, voice & music, and wearables platforms, indicating a widespread impact across Qualcomm's embedded processor portfolio. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-125 as an out-of-bounds read, which is a fundamental memory safety issue that can lead to unpredictable behavior and potential exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the splash image loading process where the system fails to properly validate the dimensions and memory boundaries of image data before processing. When a splash image is loaded, the code does not adequately check whether the image data fits within the allocated memory buffer, allowing for potential over-read conditions. This can occur during image format parsing, size validation, or memory allocation phases where the system assumes valid image parameters without proper verification. The lack of boundary checks creates opportunities for attackers to craft malicious splash images that trigger memory access violations, potentially leading to information disclosure or system instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple attack vectors and execution environments. Mobile devices, wearables, and IoT systems that utilize Snapdragon processors are all at risk, particularly those that rely heavily on splash screens for boot processes or user interface elements. Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability through malicious image files delivered via various attack vectors including phishing campaigns, compromised websites, or malicious applications. The over-read condition could expose sensitive memory contents including cryptographic keys, user credentials, or system configuration data that resides in adjacent memory regions. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and could facilitate privilege escalation or information gathering operations.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive boundary validation mechanisms throughout the splash image loading pipeline. System vendors and developers should enforce strict input validation for image dimensions, file sizes, and format specifications before any memory allocation occurs. The implementation should include proper bounds checking using established memory safety practices and consider employing defensive programming techniques such as stack canaries or memory corruption detection mechanisms. Additionally, regular firmware updates and security patches should be deployed to address this vulnerability across affected Snapdragon platforms. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts through suspicious image file transfers and consider runtime protection mechanisms that can detect and prevent buffer over-read conditions during image processing operations.