CVE-2022-22067 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE • 09/02/2022
Potential memory leak in modem during the processing of NSA RRC Reconfiguration with invalid Radio Bearer Config in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Mobile
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/11/2022
This vulnerability exists within Qualcomm Snapdragon automotive and mobile platform components where improper handling of Radio Resource Control reconfiguration messages can lead to memory allocation issues. The flaw specifically manifests during processing of NSA (Non-Standalone Architecture) RRC reconfiguration procedures when invalid radio bearer configurations are present. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-401 as a memory leak condition that occurs when system resources are not properly released during abnormal processing sequences. The issue affects multiple Snapdragon product lines including automotive systems, compute platforms, connectivity solutions, and mobile devices, indicating a widespread impact across Qualcomm's embedded networking infrastructure.
The technical implementation flaw stems from insufficient validation of radio bearer configuration parameters within the RRC reconfiguration message processing pipeline. When the modem receives an NSA RRC reconfiguration containing malformed or invalid radio bearer configuration data, the system fails to properly clean up allocated memory resources during error handling routines. This memory management failure occurs at the protocol stack level where the modem processes 5G and 4G network reconfiguration requests. The vulnerability represents a classic memory leak pattern where allocated memory blocks are not returned to the system heap, leading to progressive memory consumption over time. The issue is particularly concerning in automotive applications where continuous network connectivity and system stability are critical for safety operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple domains including automotive safety systems, mobile network reliability, and enterprise connectivity solutions. In automotive contexts, the memory leak could potentially lead to system performance degradation, application instability, or even complete system failures during critical network reconfiguration events. Mobile device users might experience gradual performance degradation, application crashes, or unexpected device shutdowns during network transitions. The vulnerability could be exploited by malicious actors to perform resource exhaustion attacks, particularly in environments where frequent network reconfigurations occur. Attackers could potentially amplify the memory leak effect through repeated injection of malformed RRC reconfiguration messages, leading to sustained system instability.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust input validation and memory management procedures within the modem firmware. System administrators should ensure timely firmware updates from Qualcomm to address the memory leak conditions in affected Snapdragon platforms. Network operators should monitor for unusual memory consumption patterns and implement automated alerting for system resource anomalies. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001 which covers resource exhaustion attacks, and organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure. Additional defensive measures include deploying memory monitoring tools, implementing rate limiting for RRC reconfiguration messages, and establishing baseline memory usage metrics for early detection of abnormal consumption patterns. Organizations should also conduct vulnerability assessments targeting their specific Snapdragon-based systems to identify potential exposure and implement appropriate compensating controls.