CVE-2021-1975 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 11/12/2021
Possible heap overflow due to improper length check of domain while parsing the DNS response in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon IoT, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2021
This vulnerability represents a critical heap overflow condition that arises from inadequate validation of domain name lengths during DNS response parsing within Qualcomm's Snapdragon automotive and IoT product lines. The flaw manifests when the system processes DNS responses containing domain names that exceed expected length parameters, leading to memory corruption through buffer overflows in heap-allocated structures. The issue affects multiple Snapdragon product categories including automotive systems, connectivity solutions, consumer IoT devices, industrial IoT deployments, voice and music processing platforms, and wearable technologies, indicating a widespread impact across Qualcomm's embedded processor ecosystem.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation mechanisms within the DNS parsing libraries that handle network communication protocols. When domain names in DNS responses exceed predetermined buffer sizes, the parsing routine fails to enforce proper length boundaries before copying data into allocated memory regions. This failure creates opportunities for attackers to craft malicious DNS responses containing oversized domain names that trigger heap corruption. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-787, addressing out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities in heap memory structures. From an operational perspective, this weakness enables potential remote code execution attacks that could compromise the integrity of connected automotive systems, IoT devices, and embedded platforms.
The attack surface extends across various network communication scenarios where Snapdragon-based devices process DNS responses from external servers. In automotive applications, this vulnerability could allow attackers to compromise vehicle infotainment systems, telematics units, or autonomous driving components through malicious DNS hijacking attacks. Industrial IoT deployments face similar risks where device firmware updates or network communications could be intercepted and exploited to gain unauthorized access to critical infrastructure. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.007 for DNS tunneling techniques and T1203 for exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities. Attackers could leverage this weakness by crafting specially formatted DNS responses that contain domain names exceeding buffer limits, potentially leading to privilege escalation or complete system compromise.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust input validation mechanisms with strict length checks before processing DNS response data structures. Device manufacturers must ensure proper bounds checking in DNS parsing libraries and implement memory protection techniques such as stack canaries or address space layout randomization. Regular firmware updates containing patched DNS handling routines are essential for maintaining system integrity, particularly in automotive and industrial applications where safety-critical operations depend on reliable network communication. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous DNS traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically designed to identify buffer overflow exploitation patterns in IoT and automotive network protocols.