CVE-2024-32895 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 06/14/2024
In BCMFASTPATH of dhd_msgbuf.c, there is a possible out of bounds write due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-32895 resides within the BCMFASTPATH implementation of the dhd_msgbuf.c file, which is part of Broadcom's wireless driver stack. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that affects the underlying network communication mechanisms used by wireless devices. The issue manifests as a potential out of bounds write condition that occurs when the system fails to properly validate input data boundaries during message buffer processing. Such vulnerabilities are particularly concerning because they can be exploited to gain elevated system privileges without requiring any additional user privileges or interactive elements.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from a missing bounds check within the message buffer handling code. When processing incoming network messages, the system does not adequately verify that data being written to memory buffers remains within allocated boundaries. This absence of validation allows malicious data to potentially overwrite adjacent memory regions, creating opportunities for arbitrary code execution or privilege escalation. The flaw specifically affects the BCMFASTPATH functionality which is designed to optimize wireless communication performance by processing messages through a fast path mechanism. This optimization approach makes the vulnerability more impactful as it operates within high-frequency processing paths that handle critical network traffic.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk for local privilege escalation attacks. The fact that no user interaction is required for exploitation means that an attacker with local access to a vulnerable system can automatically escalate their privileges without needing to perform additional social engineering or attack vector manipulation. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it can potentially allow attackers to execute arbitrary code at kernel level, leading to complete system compromise. This makes it particularly dangerous in environments where local access is possible, such as shared computing environments or systems with compromised user accounts.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which specifically addresses insufficient validation of length of input buffers, and represents a classic example of memory safety issues that have plagued kernel-level drivers for years. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability would map to multiple ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation through kernel exploits and code injection. The lack of user interaction requirement places this vulnerability in the ATT&CK matrix under techniques that can be executed silently without detection, making it particularly stealthy. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as a high-priority issue requiring immediate attention, especially in environments where wireless connectivity is present and local access controls may be insufficient.
Mitigation strategies should include applying the latest firmware updates from Broadcom, implementing proper input validation measures, and deploying kernel-level protections such as stack canaries and memory protection mechanisms. System administrators should also consider monitoring for unusual privilege escalation attempts and implementing least privilege access controls. The vulnerability's nature suggests that comprehensive code review and static analysis of the wireless driver components should be performed to identify similar issues in other parts of the codebase. Additionally, organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of local privilege escalation attacks.