CVE-2021-1945 in Auto
Summary
by MITRE • 07/13/2021
Possible out of bound read due to lack of length check of Bandwidth-NSS IE in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wired Infrastructure and Networking
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/16/2021
This vulnerability represents a critical out-of-bounds read condition affecting multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon product lines including automotive, mobile, and industrial IoT platforms. The issue stems from insufficient validation of the Bandwidth-NSS Information Element within the wireless communication protocols, specifically impacting systems that process network bandwidth allocation data. The flaw occurs when the system attempts to read data from memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries without proper length verification. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-129 category of Improper Validation of Array Index, which is a fundamental security weakness that can lead to memory corruption and potential exploitation. The affected Snapdragon product families span across automotive connectivity solutions, consumer IoT devices, industrial networking equipment, and mobile communication platforms, indicating a widespread impact across multiple market segments.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves the processing of wireless network management frames where the Bandwidth-NSS IE contains information about network bandwidth allocation and quality of service parameters. When an attacker crafts malicious network management frames with malformed Bandwidth-NSS IE data, the receiving device fails to validate the length field before attempting to read the subsequent data. This allows for memory access beyond the intended buffer boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive data or enabling further exploitation. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell and T1566.001 for Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, as attackers could leverage this weakness to execute arbitrary code or gain unauthorized access to network management functions. The out-of-bounds read condition creates a potential pathway for information disclosure, system instability, and could serve as a precursor to more sophisticated attacks targeting the underlying communication protocols.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple deployment scenarios where Qualcomm Snapdragon processors are utilized for wireless communication management. Automotive systems using Snapdragon Auto platforms could be vulnerable to attacks targeting their connectivity modules, potentially affecting vehicle network management and communication integrity. Industrial IoT deployments using Snapdragon Industrial IOT processors may experience service disruption or unauthorized access to critical infrastructure communication channels. Mobile devices and consumer IoT products utilizing Snapdragon Mobile or Snapdragon Consumer IOT chips could be compromised through malicious wireless network management frames. The vulnerability's presence in networking infrastructure solutions suggests potential impacts on enterprise wireless network stability and security. This weakness could enable attackers to extract sensitive communication data, disrupt network operations, or potentially escalate privileges within the affected systems. The widespread deployment of these processors across automotive, industrial, and consumer markets creates a significant attack surface that could affect millions of connected devices.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and bounds checking mechanisms within the wireless protocol processing stacks. Device manufacturers should ensure that all Information Elements received from network management frames undergo thorough length validation before any data extraction occurs. Security patches should include enhanced buffer management routines that verify the integrity of incoming Bandwidth-NSS IE data structures. Network administrators should monitor for anomalous wireless network management frames and implement intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed information elements. The implementation of memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and data execution prevention should be considered as additional defensive measures. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments of their wireless communication protocols and ensure that all firmware updates are applied promptly. The vulnerability's classification as a memory safety issue emphasizes the importance of code review practices and static analysis tools that can identify similar patterns in other information element processing functions. Regular security audits of wireless protocol implementations should be conducted to prevent similar issues from emerging in future code releases.