CVE-2019-14091 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Learn about CVE-2019-14091 affecting Snapdragon Auto, Compute, Consumer IOT, Industrial IOT, Mobile, Voice & Music by Qualcomm. Discover the impact, affected systems, and mitigation steps.
Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music by Qualcomm, Inc. are affected by a double free issue in the NPU due to the absence of a resource locking mechanism. This vulnerability can lead to crashes or errors.
Understanding CVE-2019-14091
This CVE involves a double free issue in the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) of Qualcomm's Snapdragon products.
What is CVE-2019-14091?
The vulnerability arises from the lack of a resource locking mechanism in various Snapdragon products, causing a double free issue in the NPU. This results in potential crashes or errors due to resources being freed twice.
The Impact of CVE-2019-14091
The double free issue in the NPU can lead to system instability, crashes, or unauthorized access to sensitive information.
Technical Details of CVE-2019-14091
Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music are affected.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability stems from the absence of a resource locking mechanism, leading to a double free issue in the NPU.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Products: Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music
- Versions: MDM9607, QCS405, Rennell, Saipan, SC8180X, SDX55, SM8150, SM8250, SXR2130
Exploitation Mechanism
The issue occurs due to a lack of proper resource management, allowing resources to be freed twice, potentially causing system crashes or errors.
Mitigation and Prevention
Implement immediate steps and long-term security practices to address the vulnerability.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply patches provided by Qualcomm to fix the double free issue.
- Monitor for any unusual system behavior that may indicate exploitation of the vulnerability.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update software and firmware to ensure the latest security patches are in place.
- Conduct security assessments and audits to identify and address any potential vulnerabilities.
Patching and Updates
- Install the latest updates and patches released by Qualcomm to mitigate the double free issue in the NPU.