CVE-2021-1910
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability is a double-free memory corruption flaw in Qualcomm Snapdragon video processing components. It allows attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service by exploiting improper input validation. Affected devices include various Snapdragon-based products across automotive, mobile, IoT, and wearable platforms.
💻 Affected Systems
- Snapdragon Auto
- Snapdragon Compute
- Snapdragon Connectivity
- Snapdragon Consumer IOT
- Snapdragon Industrial IOT
- Snapdragon Mobile
- Snapdragon Voice & Music
- Snapdragon Wearables
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete device compromise, data theft, or persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Application crashes, denial of service, or limited privilege escalation within the video processing context.
If Mitigated
Controlled crashes without code execution if memory protections like ASLR are effective.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires triggering the double-free condition through video processing, which may require specific video file crafting.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Refer to Qualcomm's May 2021 security bulletin for specific chipset fixes
Vendor Advisory: https://www.qualcomm.com/company/product-security/bulletins/may-2021-bulletin
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check device manufacturer for firmware updates. 2. Apply Qualcomm-provided patches through OEM updates. 3. Reboot device after update installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict video processing sources
allLimit video processing to trusted sources only
Disable unnecessary video features
allTurn off video processing features not required for device operation
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict input validation for video files from untrusted sources
- Use application sandboxing to limit impact of potential exploitation
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check device chipset version and compare against Qualcomm's affected list in the advisoryCheck Version:
Device-specific commands vary by OEM - typically in Settings > About Phone > Kernel version or similarVerify Fix Applied:
Verify firmware version has been updated to post-May 2021 patches from device manufacturer📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic logs
- Video subsystem crashes
- Memory corruption warnings in system logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual video file transfers to devices
- Video processing from untrusted sources
SIEM Query:
Search for: 'video driver crash' OR 'kernel panic' OR 'double free' in system logs