CVE-2019-2238 : Security Advisory and Response

A buffer underflow vulnerability in various Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms can lead to negative loop expressions, potentially causing security issues.

Understanding CVE-2019-2238

What is CVE-2019-2238?

The vulnerability arises from a failure to validate data types properly, resulting in a buffer underflow scenario in multiple Snapdragon platforms.

The Impact of CVE-2019-2238

The vulnerability can allow malicious actors to trigger negative loop expressions, leading to buffer underflow, potentially enabling unauthorized access or system crashes.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-2238

Vulnerability Description

The issue stems from a lack of data type validation, allowing loop expressions to turn negative while still evaluating as true, causing buffer underflow.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Products: Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IoT, Snapdragon Industrial IoT, Snapdragon Mobile
Affected Versions: MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9650, MDM9655, QCS605, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 410/12, SD 675, SD 712 / SD 710 / SD 670, SD 730, SD 8CX, SXR1130

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by crafting malicious input to trigger the negative loop expressions and subsequent buffer underflow.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches provided by Qualcomm to address the vulnerability.
Monitor Qualcomm's security bulletins for updates and advisories.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch all Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms to mitigate security risks.
Implement secure coding practices to prevent buffer underflow vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

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