CVE-2020-11153
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected Qualcomm Snapdragon devices by exploiting an out-of-bounds memory access in GATT data processing. It affects multiple Snapdragon platforms including automotive, compute, mobile, and IoT devices. Attackers can trigger this without authentication over Bluetooth connections.
💻 Affected Systems
- Snapdragon Auto
- Snapdragon Compute
- Snapdragon Connectivity
- Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity
- Snapdragon Consumer IOT
- Snapdragon Industrial IOT
- Snapdragon Mobile
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with remote code execution leading to data theft, device takeover, or lateral movement within networks.
Likely Case
Remote code execution allowing installation of malware, data exfiltration, or device disruption.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if Bluetooth is disabled or devices are isolated from untrusted networks.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires Bluetooth proximity or network access to vulnerable devices.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Refer to Qualcomm October 2020 security bulletin for specific firmware updates
Vendor Advisory: https://www.qualcomm.com/company/product-security/bulletins/october-2020-bulletin
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check device manufacturer for firmware updates. 2. Apply Qualcomm-provided patches. 3. Update device firmware through manufacturer channels. 4. Reboot device after update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Bluetooth
allTurn off Bluetooth functionality to prevent exploitation
adb shell settings put global bluetooth_on 0
systemctl stop bluetooth
Network Segmentation
allIsolate affected devices from untrusted networks
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable Bluetooth on all affected devices
- Implement strict network segmentation and firewall rules to limit Bluetooth traffic
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check device chipset model and firmware version against Qualcomm advisoryCheck Version:
adb shell getprop ro.boot.hardware.sku or check device specificationsVerify Fix Applied:
Verify firmware version has been updated to post-October 2020 patches📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual Bluetooth connection attempts
- Crash logs from Bluetooth stack
- Memory access violation errors
Network Indicators:
- Suspicious Bluetooth GATT data patterns
- Unusual Bluetooth traffic from unknown devices
SIEM Query:
source="bluetooth" AND (event="crash" OR event="memory_violation")