CVE-2021-35069 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE • 02/11/2022
Improper validation of data length received from DMA buffer can lead to memory corruption. 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 • 02/16/2022
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption issue stemming from inadequate validation of data length parameters received from Direct Memory Access buffers within multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon product lines. The flaw exists in the handling of DMA operations where the system fails to properly validate the length of data being transferred from external sources into internal memory structures. This improper validation creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate buffer boundaries and potentially overwrite adjacent memory locations, leading to unpredictable system behavior and potential code execution. The vulnerability affects a broad spectrum of Qualcomm's automotive, mobile, compute, connectivity, and industrial IoT products, indicating a fundamental issue in the DMA subsystem design that spans multiple hardware platforms and use cases.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the system processes data from DMA buffers without sufficient length validation checks. Attackers can craft malicious DMA transfers with oversized or malformed data lengths that exceed expected buffer boundaries. This allows for memory corruption through buffer overflow conditions where data written beyond allocated memory regions can overwrite critical system structures, function pointers, or control data. The flaw specifically relates to improper input validation and memory boundary checking mechanisms within the DMA handling code paths, creating potential for privilege escalation and system instability. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-129 as "Improper Validation of Array Index" and CWE-787 as "Out-of-bounds Write," both of which are fundamental memory safety issues that have been extensively documented in cybersecurity literature. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to system resources and potentially execute arbitrary code within the context of the affected processes.
The impact of this vulnerability across Qualcomm's diverse product portfolio creates significant operational concerns for organizations relying on these platforms. In automotive applications such as Snapdragon Auto, the vulnerability could potentially affect vehicle control systems, infotainment systems, and telematics modules, creating safety-critical risks. For mobile and consumer IoT devices, the vulnerability may enable attackers to compromise device integrity, access sensitive user data, or perform unauthorized system modifications. The widespread nature of affected products means that exploitation could occur across multiple attack vectors, including wireless communications, physical device access, or network-based attacks that leverage DMA capabilities. From the MITRE ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques such as T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) when combined with other attack vectors. The vulnerability also maps to T1547.001 (Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder) and T1566.001 (Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment) when considering how attackers might leverage it within broader attack chains targeting these platforms.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including firmware updates from Qualcomm, which typically include enhanced DMA buffer validation routines and improved input sanitization mechanisms. System administrators should also consider network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of vulnerable systems, particularly in automotive and industrial environments where these platforms are deployed. Additional defensive measures include implementing memory protection features such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and data execution prevention mechanisms to reduce exploitability. Regular security assessments should focus on identifying and patching similar validation flaws across all DMA-related components. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation in embedded systems and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of hardware platforms before deployment in critical environments. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures specifically tailored to address DMA-based vulnerabilities and monitor for indicators of compromise that may signal exploitation attempts against these platforms.