CVE-2018-5891 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Learn about CVE-2018-5891 affecting Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile and Wear devices. Discover the impact, affected systems, exploitation mechanism, and mitigation steps.
CVE-2018-5891 was published on July 2, 2018, affecting Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear devices by Qualcomm, Inc. The vulnerability involves a Use After Free condition during modem SSR processing, potentially leading to security risks.
Understanding CVE-2018-5891
This CVE identifies a specific vulnerability in Qualcomm's Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear products.
What is CVE-2018-5891?
When the IMS data daemon restarts after IMS registration, the ipc_dataHandle becomes unavailable, causing a Use After Free condition in Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear devices.
The Impact of CVE-2018-5891
The vulnerability can be exploited to trigger a Use After Free condition, potentially leading to security breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive data.
Technical Details of CVE-2018-5891
This section provides detailed technical insights into the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
During modem SSR processing, the IMS data daemon restart can result in a Use After Free condition due to the unavailability of ipc_dataHandle.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Products: Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Wear
- Versions: MSM8909W, MSM8996AU, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 820, SD 835, SD 845
Exploitation Mechanism
The vulnerability occurs when the DPL thread fails to update the local variable pointer, leading to a Use After Free condition.
Mitigation and Prevention
Protecting systems from CVE-2018-5891 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply security patches provided by Qualcomm promptly.
- Monitor vendor communications for updates and advisories.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update firmware and software to mitigate known vulnerabilities.
- Implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potential threats.
Patching and Updates
- Stay informed about security bulletins and patches released by Qualcomm.
- Ensure timely installation of security updates to address CVE-2018-5891.