CVE-2024-49842 in Snapdragon Auto
Summary
by MITRE • 05/06/2025
Memory corruption during memory mapping into protected VM address space due to incorrect API restrictions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2025
This vulnerability resides in the fundamental memory management mechanisms of operating systems and virtual memory implementations where improper handling of memory mapping operations can lead to critical security flaws. The issue manifests when the system attempts to map memory regions into protected virtual machine address spaces without adequate validation of the mapping parameters and access restrictions. This type of memory corruption vulnerability represents a serious threat to system integrity and can potentially be exploited to bypass security controls that rely on proper memory isolation. The flaw specifically occurs during the memory mapping process where API restrictions that should prevent unauthorized access to protected memory regions are either incorrectly implemented or bypassed entirely, allowing malicious actors to manipulate memory mappings in ways that should be prohibited.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and enforcement of access controls within memory management APIs. When applications or system components attempt to map memory regions using APIs such as mmap or similar memory mapping functions, the system should verify that the requested mapping complies with established security policies and access restrictions. However, in this case, the API restrictions that govern memory mapping into protected address spaces are either insufficiently enforced or contain logical flaws that permit mappings that should be rejected. This improper restriction can result in memory corruption where legitimate memory protections are circumvented, potentially allowing unauthorized code execution or data access. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper restriction of operations within a memory address space, which aligns with CWE-502 and CWE-787 classifications related to memory corruption and improper input validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption to encompass potential privilege escalation and system compromise scenarios. Attackers who can exploit this flaw may gain unauthorized access to protected memory regions, potentially leading to information disclosure, code execution in privileged contexts, or complete system compromise. The vulnerability's exploitation could allow adversaries to map malicious code into protected memory spaces, effectively bypassing memory protection mechanisms such as data execution prevention, stack canaries, or address space layout randomization. This type of memory mapping bypass can be particularly dangerous in environments where multiple processes or virtual machines share memory resources, as it may enable cross-process memory attacks or VM escape scenarios. The attack surface is broad and includes system services, kernel modules, and applications that rely on proper memory management controls to maintain security boundaries.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require a multi-layered approach focusing on both immediate system hardening and long-term architectural improvements. System administrators should ensure that all memory mapping APIs are properly updated with the latest security patches and that access controls are rigorously enforced during memory allocation and mapping operations. Implementing strict input validation for all memory mapping parameters and conducting regular security audits of memory management code can help identify potential flaws before exploitation occurs. Additionally, employing runtime protection mechanisms such as memory protection keys, kernel page table isolation, and hardware-based memory safety features can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous memory mapping patterns and alert security teams to potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process must include thorough testing of memory management components to ensure that API restrictions are properly enforced without breaking legitimate functionality, following best practices outlined in security standards such as those provided by the Center for Internet Security and NIST guidelines for secure system configuration.
The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper memory management and access control enforcement in modern computing systems, where even subtle flaws in API implementation can have severe security implications. Memory corruption vulnerabilities of this nature represent a persistent threat in operating system security and require continuous vigilance in both development and operational security practices. The potential for privilege escalation and system compromise makes this issue particularly concerning for enterprise environments where multiple security boundaries exist and proper memory protection is essential for maintaining overall system security posture.