CVE-2021-1955 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE • 07/13/2021
Denial of service in SAP case due to improper handling of connections when association is rejected in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon IoT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/16/2021
This vulnerability represents a denial of service condition affecting multiple SAP product lines within the Snapdragon ecosystem. The flaw manifests when the system improperly handles connection requests that are rejected during the association process, creating a scenario where legitimate service operations can be disrupted. The technical implementation fails to properly manage connection states when authentication or authorization attempts are denied, leading to resource exhaustion or system instability.
The underlying mechanism involves the improper state management of network connections within the SAP case handling framework. When an association request is rejected, the system does not correctly clean up or reset connection resources, potentially leading to memory leaks or connection pool exhaustion. This improper handling creates a pathway for attackers to repeatedly submit rejected association requests, causing cumulative resource degradation that ultimately results in system unavailability. The vulnerability affects a broad range of Snapdragon product categories including automotive systems, consumer electronics, industrial IoT, and mobile platforms, indicating a widespread architectural flaw.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple industry sectors where Snapdragon-based devices are deployed. In automotive applications, this could lead to complete system failures in vehicle infotainment or telematics systems, potentially compromising safety-critical functions. For consumer electronics, the impact manifests as device instability or complete service disruption, affecting user experience and device reliability. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited through continuous connection rejection attacks, making it particularly dangerous in environments where device availability is critical.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which addresses improper handling of resources that can lead to denial of service conditions. The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks through resource exhaustion. Organizations should implement connection rate limiting mechanisms to prevent abuse of the association rejection process, along with proper resource cleanup procedures that ensure connection states are properly managed regardless of authentication outcomes. Additionally, monitoring for unusual patterns of rejected connections can help detect exploitation attempts before they cause significant disruption. The vulnerability underscores the importance of robust error handling and resource management in embedded systems where service availability directly impacts user safety and system reliability.