CVE-2018-12012 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables by Qualcomm are affected by a vulnerability compromising the boot-up process due to lack of validation against updated blacklisted regions.

Understanding CVE-2018-12012

This CVE involves an untrusted pointer dereference issue in QTEE.

What is CVE-2018-12012?

The vulnerability arises during the boot-up process of various Qualcomm Snapdragon products, leading to compromise due to inadequate validation against updated blacklisted regions.

The Impact of CVE-2018-12012

The lack of validation exposes affected devices to potential security breaches during the boot-up process, allowing unauthorized access to shared buffered memory regions.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-12012

The following technical details outline the specifics of this CVE:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Snapdragon products results from the failure to validate against updated blacklisted regions during the boot-up process, potentially compromising system security.

Affected Systems and Versions

Products: Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables
Versions: MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9650, MDM9655, QCS605, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 410/12, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 712 / SD 710 / SD 670, SD 835, SD 845 / SD 850, SD 8CX, SXR1130

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability allows attackers to exploit the lack of validation against updated blacklisted regions, potentially gaining unauthorized access to shared buffered memory regions during the boot-up process.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2018-12012, consider the following mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply security patches provided by Qualcomm promptly.
Implement additional security measures to prevent unauthorized access to critical system regions.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update system software and firmware to mitigate known vulnerabilities.
Conduct security assessments and audits to identify and address potential weaknesses in the system.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security bulletins and updates from Qualcomm.
Ensure timely installation of patches to protect against known vulnerabilities.