CVE-2024-45547 in Snapdragon Compute
Summary
by MITRE • 01/06/2025
Memory corruption while processing IOCTL call invoked from user-space to verify non extension FIPS encryption and decryption functionality.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/14/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption issue within kernel-mode drivers that handle FIPS encryption and decryption operations through IOCTL (Input/Output Control) interfaces. The flaw manifests when user-space applications invoke specific IOCTL calls to verify non-extension FIPS functionality, creating a potential attack surface where malicious input can trigger undefined behavior in kernel memory management. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory handling within the driver's IOCTL processing routine, allowing for buffer overflows or arbitrary memory writes that can compromise system stability and security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-787, which addresses out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities. When legitimate IOCTL calls are processed, the kernel driver fails to properly validate the size or content of user-supplied parameters, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges. The FIPS encryption context adds complexity to the attack vector since the vulnerability specifically targets the verification mechanisms rather than the core cryptographic functions, making detection more challenging for security monitoring systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate system compromise to include potential data leakage, privilege escalation, and persistent backdoor establishment. Attackers can leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to encrypted data, bypass FIPS compliance verification, and potentially establish persistent access to systems running vulnerable drivers. The memory corruption affects system stability through potential crashes or denial of service conditions, while also enabling sophisticated attack techniques that align with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through kernel vulnerabilities. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges since it targets kernel interfaces accessible through standard user-space applications.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate defensive measures and long-term architectural improvements. System administrators should implement strict driver signing policies, disable unnecessary FIPS verification interfaces, and deploy kernel-mode exploit protection mechanisms such as Control Flow Guard and Address Space Layout Randomization. Regular driver updates and security patches from vendors are essential, while monitoring for unusual IOCTL activity patterns can help detect exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation in kernel-mode code and reinforces the need for comprehensive security testing of driver interfaces. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime protection solutions that can detect and prevent memory corruption exploits, while maintaining detailed logging of kernel-mode operations for forensic analysis.