CVE-2019-14110
📋 TL;DR
A buffer overflow vulnerability in the wlan firmware of Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service by sending specially crafted association frames. This affects numerous Qualcomm-based devices across automotive, mobile, IoT, and networking products. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable without authentication.
💻 Affected Systems
- APQ8009
- APQ8017
- APQ8053
- APQ8064
- APQ8096
- APQ8096AU
- APQ8098
- IPQ6018
- IPQ8074
- MDM9206
- MDM9207C
- MDM9607
- MDM9640
- MDM9650
- MSM8996
- MSM8996AU
- MSM8998
- Nicobar
- QCA4531
- QCA6174A
- QCA6564
- QCA6574AU
- QCA6584
- QCA6584AU
- QCA8081
- QCA9377
- QCA9379
- QCA9886
- QCN7605
- QCS404
- QCS405
- QCS605
- Rennell
- SA6155P
- SC7180
- SC8180X
- SDA660
- SDA845
- SDM630
- SDM636
- SDM660
- SDM670
- SDM710
- SDM845
- SDM850
- SDX20
- SDX24
- SM6150
- SM7150
- SM8150
- SXR1130
- SXR2130
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution with kernel privileges leading to complete device compromise, data theft, or persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Denial of service (device crash/reboot) or limited code execution depending on exploit sophistication and memory protections.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if devices are patched, network segmentation prevents access, or exploit attempts are blocked by network controls.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires sending malformed Wi-Fi association frames. No public exploit code is known, but the vulnerability is well-documented and remotely exploitable.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Vendor-specific firmware updates released in April 2020
Vendor Advisory: https://www.qualcomm.com/company/product-security/bulletins/april-2020-bulletin
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check with device manufacturer for firmware updates. 2. Apply Qualcomm-provided firmware patches. 3. Reboot device to load patched firmware. 4. Verify patch installation through version checks.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Wi-Fi or Use Client Mode
allDisable Wi-Fi interfaces or avoid using SAP/access point mode to prevent exploitation.
Network Segmentation
allIsolate vulnerable devices on separate network segments with strict access controls.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable Wi-Fi functionality entirely if not required
- Implement strict network access controls and monitor for suspicious Wi-Fi traffic
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check device firmware version against manufacturer's patched versions. Use Qualcomm's advisory to identify vulnerable chipset models.Check Version:
Device-specific commands vary by manufacturer. Typically: 'cat /proc/version' or manufacturer-specific firmware check utilities.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify firmware version has been updated to post-April 2020 patches from device manufacturer.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected device reboots
- Wi-Fi driver/firmware crash logs
- Kernel panic messages related to wlan
Network Indicators:
- Malformed 802.11 association frames
- Unusual Wi-Fi traffic patterns to vulnerable devices
SIEM Query:
Search for: 'wlan firmware crash' OR 'association frame' AND 'buffer overflow' in device logs