CVE-2016-10495
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in Qualcomm Snapdragon MDM9635M chipsets allows out-of-bounds memory access due to improper bounds checking of scan type values. Attackers could potentially execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service on affected Android devices. This affects Android devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon MDM9635M chipsets before the April 2018 security patch.
💻 Affected Systems
- Android devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon MDM9635M chipset
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete device compromise, data theft, or persistent malware installation.
Likely Case
Device crash/reboot (denial of service) or limited information disclosure from memory.
If Mitigated
No impact if patched or if exploit attempts are blocked by security controls.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires understanding of Qualcomm chipset memory layout and wireless scanning functionality.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Android security patch level 2018-04-05 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2018-04-01
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check current security patch level in Settings > About phone > Android security patch level. 2. If before April 2018, install latest available system update. 3. Reboot device after update completes.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable unnecessary wireless features
allReduce attack surface by disabling Wi-Fi scanning, Bluetooth scanning, and location services when not needed.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate affected devices from untrusted networks
- Implement strict app installation policies to prevent malicious apps
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Android security patch level in Settings > About phone. If date is before 2018-04-05, device is vulnerable.Check Version:
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patchVerify Fix Applied:
Verify security patch level shows 2018-04-05 or later date.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panics
- System crashes
- Unexpected reboots
- Memory access violation logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual wireless scanning patterns
- Suspicious proximity-based attacks
SIEM Query:
Search for: 'kernel panic' OR 'segmentation fault' OR 'out of bounds' on affected Android devices