CVE-2023-43541 in Snapdragon
Summary
by MITRE • 03/04/2024
Memory corruption while invoking the SubmitCommands call on Gfx engine during the graphics render.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw within the graphics processing unit's command submission mechanism, specifically during the execution of SubmitCommands operations on the graphics engine. The issue manifests when the graphics driver processes command buffers that contain malformed or improperly structured data, leading to unpredictable memory state modifications that can result in system instability or potential privilege escalation. The vulnerability resides in the graphics rendering pipeline where user-supplied command data is processed without adequate validation, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory layout through carefully crafted graphics operations. This type of flaw typically falls under the category of buffer overflow conditions as defined by CWE-121, where insufficient bounds checking allows memory corruption during command processing. The vulnerability affects systems that utilize graphics engines capable of processing command buffers through SubmitCommands interfaces, particularly those implementing graphics APIs such as DirectX or Vulkan where command submission occurs in kernel mode. The memory corruption can manifest as heap corruption, stack smashing, or arbitrary memory writes that may allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, especially when the graphics engine operates with system-level permissions during command processing. The operational impact extends beyond simple rendering failures to potentially enable complete system compromise, as the graphics engine often runs with elevated privileges to ensure proper hardware access and performance optimization. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, where attackers can leverage graphics command injection to execute malicious code through legitimate graphics APIs. The flaw represents a significant concern for enterprise environments where graphics-intensive applications are prevalent, as it can be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious applications, compromised software installations, or even web-based graphics rendering exploits. Organizations running systems with graphics processing capabilities, particularly those utilizing graphics APIs for application development or gaming environments, face heightened risk due to the potential for privilege escalation and system compromise through this memory corruption vulnerability. The exploitation typically requires an attacker to submit specially crafted graphics commands that trigger the memory corruption during command processing, often through graphics applications or games that utilize the affected graphics engine components. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in graphics processing pipelines, as the lack of proper bounds checking during command buffer processing creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory structures. Security researchers have identified this issue as particularly dangerous due to the graphics engine's privileged execution context and the potential for bypassing standard security mitigations such as address space layout randomization and data execution prevention. The vulnerability's impact is amplified in environments where graphics processing is heavily utilized, including gaming platforms, professional graphics applications, and enterprise systems with integrated graphics processing units.
The memory corruption occurs during the graphics engine's command submission phase where the driver fails to properly validate command buffer contents before processing them through the SubmitCommands interface. This validation failure creates a pathway for attackers to inject malformed data that can overwrite adjacent memory regions, potentially corrupting critical data structures or execution pointers within the graphics driver's memory space. The vulnerability's exploitation requires precise control over the command buffer contents to manipulate memory in a way that either causes a crash or enables code execution within the graphics engine's privileged context. The flaw demonstrates a classic example of insufficient input sanitization in graphics APIs where the driver assumes all command data is valid, leading to memory corruption when malformed commands are processed. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability through graphics applications that submit commands to the engine, potentially through malicious software or compromised applications that utilize graphics APIs. The vulnerability's presence in graphics engines that operate in kernel mode increases the potential impact significantly, as memory corruption in kernel space can lead to complete system compromise and privilege escalation. The issue also aligns with CWE-787 which describes out-of-bounds writes that can occur when processing graphics command buffers without proper validation. Organizations should consider the vulnerability's implications for their graphics processing infrastructure, particularly systems that utilize graphics APIs for performance-critical applications where the graphics engine operates with elevated privileges. The exploitation complexity varies depending on the specific graphics engine implementation and the level of access required to submit commands to the affected interface. Security professionals must evaluate their graphics processing environments for this vulnerability, as it represents a significant risk to system integrity and security posture, particularly in environments where graphics processing is extensively utilized. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining updated graphics drivers and implementing proper input validation within graphics processing pipelines to prevent attackers from exploiting memory corruption flaws that can lead to system compromise.