CVE-2015-9192
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service on affected Android devices by exploiting an out-of-bounds memory access in the content protection manager. It affects Android devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets before the April 2018 security patch. The high CVSS score of 9.8 indicates critical severity.
💻 Affected Systems
- Android devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets: MDM9206, MDM9650, 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, SD 835, SD 845, SD 850
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete device compromise, data theft, or persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Application crashes, denial of service, or limited information disclosure due to memory corruption.
If Mitigated
No impact if patched; limited impact if network access is restricted and device is isolated.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires sending specially crafted messages to trigger the out-of-bounds memory access. No public exploit code is documented in references.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Android security patch level April 5, 2018 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2018-04-01
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check current Android security patch level in Settings > About phone > Android security patch level. 2. If before April 2018, apply the April 2018 security update via Settings > System > System update. 3. Restart device after update installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network segmentation
allRestrict network access to affected devices to reduce attack surface
Disable unnecessary services
androidDisable content protection manager if not required (may impact functionality)
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate affected devices from untrusted networks and internet access
- Monitor for unusual activity or crashes related to content protection services
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Android security patch level in Settings > About phone > Android security patch level. If date is before April 5, 2018, device is vulnerable.Check Version:
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patchVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Android security patch level shows April 2018 or later after applying update.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Crashes or abnormal behavior in content protection manager services
- Memory access violation logs in system logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual network traffic to content protection services
- Suspicious message patterns targeting vulnerable components
SIEM Query:
Search for process crashes related to 'content protection' or 'Qualcomm' services in Android system logs