CVE-2020-11148 : Security Advisory and Response

A use after free issue in HIDL while using a callback to post an event in the Rx thread can lead to vulnerabilities in various Qualcomm Snapdragon products.

Understanding CVE-2020-11148

This CVE involves a specific vulnerability affecting a wide range of Qualcomm Snapdragon products.

What is CVE-2020-11148?

The vulnerability arises from a use after free issue in HIDL when a callback is used to post an event in the Rx thread without acquiring the internal mutex. This occurs when a close is triggered, and the callback instance is deleted in multiple Snapdragon product lines.

The Impact of CVE-2020-11148

The vulnerability can potentially be exploited by malicious actors to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service on devices utilizing the affected Qualcomm Snapdragon products.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-11148

This section delves into the technical aspects of the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stems from improper handling of callbacks in the Rx thread, leading to a use after free issue in HIDL.

Affected Systems and Versions

The following Qualcomm Snapdragon products are affected:

Snapdragon Auto
Snapdragon Compute
Snapdragon Connectivity
Snapdragon Consumer IOT
Snapdragon Industrial IOT
Snapdragon Mobile
Snapdragon Wearables

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by triggering a close event while the callback instance is being deleted, causing the use after free issue in HIDL.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protective measures to address CVE-2020-11148.

Immediate Steps to Take

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

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and firmware on affected devices.
Implement secure coding practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Install the latest security patches released by Qualcomm to address the use after free issue in HIDL vulnerability.