CVE-2021-35117 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE • 04/01/2022
An Out of Bounds read may potentially occur while processing an IBSS beacon, in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2022
This vulnerability represents a critical out-of-bounds read condition that can manifest during the processing of IBSS beacons within various Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. The flaw occurs in the wireless networking stack where the system attempts to parse beacon frames from peer devices in an independent basic service set configuration. The vulnerability affects multiple Snapdragon product lines including automotive, mobile, compute, connectivity, consumer IoT, and industrial IoT platforms, indicating a widespread impact across Qualcomm's chipset portfolio. The out-of-bounds read vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of beacon frame data structure parameters, allowing an attacker to potentially craft malicious beacon frames that trigger memory access violations when the system attempts to read beyond allocated buffer boundaries.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves the processing of IEEE 802.11 beacon frames in infrastructure-less network configurations where devices communicate directly without a central access point. When a device receives an IBSS beacon containing malformed or oversized fields, the parsing routine fails to properly validate the frame length or field offsets before attempting to read memory locations. This condition can result in information disclosure, system instability, or potentially remote code execution depending on the specific implementation and memory layout. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which describes improper validation of array indices, and represents a classic buffer over-read scenario where the system accesses memory beyond the intended bounds. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter with potential lateral movement implications through wireless network exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple deployment scenarios where Snapdragon chipsets are utilized, particularly in automotive systems where wireless connectivity is critical for vehicle operations and safety features. Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability by transmitting specially crafted IBSS beacons within wireless range of affected devices, leading to denial of service conditions, data leakage, or system compromise. The widespread nature of affected product lines suggests that numerous connected devices, from smartphones and tablets to automotive infotainment systems and industrial IoT sensors, could be vulnerable to this attack vector. Organizations utilizing these chipsets in enterprise environments must consider the potential for unauthorized access to wireless networks and the compromise of sensitive data transmitted through these communication channels. The vulnerability requires careful monitoring and patch management across all affected platforms, with particular attention to automotive systems where wireless communication failures could have safety implications.
Mitigation strategies should focus on firmware updates from Qualcomm to address the parsing logic and implement proper bounds checking for beacon frame data. Network administrators should consider implementing wireless intrusion detection systems to monitor for anomalous beacon frame patterns and establish network segmentation to limit the potential impact of exploitation. Device manufacturers should validate beacon frame processing logic and implement robust input validation routines that prevent memory access violations. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices in wireless networking protocols and emphasizes the need for comprehensive testing of edge cases in wireless frame processing. Organizations should also consider implementing network access controls and monitoring mechanisms that can detect and respond to malicious beacon frame activity, particularly in critical infrastructure environments where wireless connectivity is essential for operations.