CVE-2014-9986

Vulnerability

In Android before the 2018-04-05 security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Automobile, Mobile, and Wear platforms (MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 430, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 617, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, SD 820A), the function playready_licacq_process_response() in the PlayReady DRM implementation does not validate the cbResponse length, which is controlled by the HLOS (Host OS). If cbResponse is set to a large value, a memory overread occurs [1].

Exploitation

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by providing a crafted PlayReady license acquisition response with an excessively large cbResponse field. The attacker must be able to send such a response to the device, for example, via a malicious application or a compromised server that the device contacts during license acquisition. No special privileges or user interaction beyond normal DRM operations are required [1].

Impact

A successful exploit results in a memory overread, which can leak sensitive information from beyond the intended buffer. This could lead to the disclosure of cryptographic keys, user data, or other secrets stored in device memory. The impact is limited to information disclosure; remote code execution is not achieved [1].

Mitigation

The vulnerability is fixed in the Android security patch level of April 5, 2018 or later. Users should ensure their devices receive and install this update. Devices that have reached end-of-life and no longer receive security patches remain vulnerable [1].