CVE-2018-9392
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2018-9392 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in the GPS hardware abstraction layer of MediaTek chipsets used in Android devices. This allows local attackers with system execution privileges to escalate privileges without user interaction. The vulnerability affects Android devices using specific MediaTek GPS components.
💻 Affected Systems
- Android devices with MediaTek GPS chipsets
📦 What is this software?
Android by Google
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete device compromise allowing attackers to gain root/system privileges, install persistent malware, access sensitive data, and bypass security controls.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation enabling attackers to bypass application sandboxing, access protected system resources, and potentially install malicious applications.
If Mitigated
Limited impact due to SELinux policies and other Android security mechanisms restricting the attack surface, though privilege escalation remains possible.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires system execution privileges for initial access, making exploitation more complex than unauthenticated vulnerabilities.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Android security patch level June 2018 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/pixel/2018-06-01
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Apply the June 2018 Android security patch. 2. Update affected devices through OTA updates. 3. For custom ROMs, rebuild with patched vendor/mediatek components. 4. Reboot device after update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable GPS functionality
androidTemporarily disable GPS services to prevent exploitation of the vulnerable component
adb shell pm disable com.android.location.fused
adb shell pm disable com.android.location.gps
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict application permissions to minimize attack surface
- Implement strict SELinux policies to limit GPS service access
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Android security patch level: Settings > About phone > Android security patch level. If before June 2018, device is vulnerable.Check Version:
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patchVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Android security patch level shows June 2018 or later. Check that GPS functionality works normally after patch.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual GPS service crashes
- SELinux denials related to gps_hal
- Privilege escalation attempts in system logs
Network Indicators:
- None - this is a local vulnerability
SIEM Query:
source="android_system" AND ("gps_hal" OR "data_coder.c") AND ("crash" OR "segfault" OR "privilege")