CVE-2024-46919 in 850
Summary
by MITRE • 01/13/2025
An issue was discovered in Samsung Mobile Processor Exynos 9820, 9825, 980, 990, 850, 1080, 2100, and 1280. Lack of a length check leads to a stack out-of-bounds write at loadOutputBuffers.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/14/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-46919 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow condition affecting multiple Samsung Exynos mobile processor variants including the 9820, 9825, 980, 990, 850, 1080, 2100, and 1280 models. This flaw manifests within the loadOutputBuffers function where insufficient input validation and length checking mechanisms fail to prevent excessive data writes beyond allocated stack memory boundaries. The vulnerability stems from a fundamental lack of proper bounds verification during buffer allocation and data processing operations within the processor's multimedia or image processing subsystem.
From a technical perspective, this issue constitutes a classic stack overflow vulnerability classified under CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, where the absence of length validation allows malicious input to overwrite adjacent stack memory locations. The flaw occurs during buffer loading operations when the system fails to verify that incoming data conforms to expected size parameters before copying data into stack-allocated memory regions. This condition creates a potential exploitation vector where an attacker could manipulate the buffer size parameters to cause out-of-bounds writes that may overwrite return addresses, function pointers, or other critical stack metadata.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond typical memory corruption scenarios as it affects mobile processors that serve as core components in Samsung smartphones and tablets. The affected Exynos processors handle multimedia processing, camera operations, and various system-level functions that could be targeted by adversaries. An exploitation of this vulnerability could potentially enable arbitrary code execution within the processor's execution context, allowing attackers to gain elevated privileges or manipulate system behavior. The widespread deployment of these processors across multiple device generations increases the potential attack surface significantly.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 technique for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as exploitation could involve crafting specific buffer inputs that trigger the overflow. The vulnerability also relates to T1547.001 for Registry Run Keys and Startup Folder, as successful exploitation might enable persistence mechanisms within the processor's operational environment. Mitigation strategies should include firmware updates from Samsung, input validation improvements in software components that interface with these processors, and runtime protections such as stack canaries or address space layout randomization. Additionally, implementing network-based monitoring to detect anomalous buffer operations and establishing secure coding practices that enforce strict length checking mechanisms would significantly reduce the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability underscores the importance of rigorous input validation in embedded systems and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of processor-level components that handle untrusted data inputs.