CVE-2020-11163
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote code execution via buffer overflow in Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets when processing IKEv2 parameters from ePDG servers. Attackers can exploit this to execute arbitrary code with system privileges. Affected devices include automotive, mobile, IoT, and compute platforms using vulnerable Snapdragon chipsets.
💻 Affected Systems
- Snapdragon Auto
- Snapdragon Compute
- Snapdragon Connectivity
- Snapdragon Consumer IOT
- Snapdragon Industrial IOT
- Snapdragon Mobile
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges, potentially leading to persistent backdoors, data theft, or device bricking.
Likely Case
Remote code execution leading to device compromise, data exfiltration, or integration into botnets.
If Mitigated
Denial of service or limited information disclosure if exploit attempts are detected and blocked.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires network access to trigger IKEv2 parameter updates
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Refer to Qualcomm February 2021 security bulletin
Vendor Advisory: https://www.qualcomm.com/company/product-security/bulletins/february-2021-bulletin
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check device manufacturer for firmware updates. 2. Apply Qualcomm-provided patches. 3. Reboot device after update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable IKEv2 VPN functionality
linuxDisable IKEv2 VPN services if not required
systemctl stop ikev2-service
systemctl disable ikev2-service
Network segmentation
allRestrict ePDG server communication to trusted networks
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network filtering to block untrusted ePDG server connections
- Deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for buffer overflow attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check device chipset model and firmware version against Qualcomm advisoryCheck Version:
cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep -i qualcommVerify Fix Applied:
Verify firmware version has been updated to post-February 2021 patch level📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual IKEv2 parameter update failures
- Kernel panic or crash logs
- Memory corruption warnings
Network Indicators:
- Suspicious IKEv2 traffic patterns
- Unexpected ePDG server connections
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("buffer overflow" OR "segmentation fault") AND process="ikev2"