CVE-2018-5911 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability in the WLAN function of multiple Qualcomm chipsets, including Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, can lead to a buffer overflow due to improper buffer size checking.

Understanding CVE-2018-5911

This CVE involves a potential buffer overflow in WLAN functions of various Qualcomm chipsets.

What is CVE-2018-5911?

The vulnerability stems from inadequate buffer size verification before copying, which could result in a buffer overflow.

The Impact of CVE-2018-5911

The vulnerability could be exploited to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service on affected devices.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-5911

This section provides more technical insights into the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises from the improper checking of buffer size before copying, potentially leading to a buffer overflow.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Products: Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile
Affected Versions: MDM9150, MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9640, MDM9650, MSM8996AU, QCS605, SD 625, SD 636, SD 675, SD 712 / SD 710 / SD 670, SD 730, SD 820A, SD 855, SDM630, SDM660, SDX20, SDX24

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by crafting malicious input to trigger the buffer overflow.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2018-5911 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches or updates provided by Qualcomm to address the vulnerability.
Monitor vendor communications for security advisories and follow recommended actions.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update firmware and software to mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
Implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the impact of successful attacks.

Patching and Updates

Ensure all affected systems are updated with the latest patches from Qualcomm to fix the buffer overflow issue.