CVE-2024-39890
📋 TL;DR
A memory corruption vulnerability in Samsung Exynos baseband software allows attackers to write data beyond allocated buffer boundaries by exploiting improper length validation in Call Control messages. This affects Samsung mobile devices, wearables, and modems using the listed Exynos processors. Successful exploitation could lead to remote code execution or device compromise.
💻 Affected Systems
- Samsung Mobile Processor Exynos 9820
- Samsung Mobile Processor Exynos 9825
- Samsung Mobile Processor Exynos 980
- Samsung Mobile Processor Exynos 990
- Samsung Mobile Processor Exynos 850
- Samsung Mobile Processor Exynos 1080
- Samsung Mobile Processor Exynos 2100
- Samsung Mobile Processor Exynos 1280
- Samsung Mobile Processor Exynos 2200
- Samsung Mobile Processor Exynos 1330
- Samsung Mobile Processor Exynos 1380
- Samsung Mobile Processor Exynos 1480
- Samsung Mobile Processor Exynos 2400
- Samsung Wearable Processor Exynos 9110
- Samsung Wearable Processor Exynos W920
- Samsung Wearable Processor Exynos W930
- Samsung Wearable Processor Exynos W1000
- Samsung Modem Exynos 5123
- Samsung Modem Exynos 5300
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution on affected devices allowing complete device takeover, data exfiltration, or persistent backdoor installation via malicious baseband messages.
Likely Case
Device instability, crashes, or denial of service through baseband manipulation, potentially requiring physical device reset.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper network segmentation and monitoring, though baseband vulnerabilities remain difficult to fully mitigate without patches.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires specialized knowledge of baseband protocols and memory corruption techniques. No public exploits available.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Latest security updates from Samsung
Vendor Advisory: https://semiconductor.samsung.com/support/quality-support/product-security-updates/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check for device manufacturer security updates. 2. Apply latest firmware/security patches from Samsung. 3. For carrier-locked devices, check with carrier for updates. 4. Reboot device after update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable vulnerable network features
allLimit exposure by disabling unnecessary cellular features
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Segment affected devices on separate network segments
- Monitor for unusual baseband activity or device crashes
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check device model and processor in Settings > About Phone. Compare with affected processor list.Check Version:
adb shell getprop ro.build.fingerprint (for Android devices)Verify Fix Applied:
Verify security patch level in Settings > About Phone > Software Information is after vulnerability disclosure date.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Baseband crash logs
- Unexpected device reboots
- Modem subsystem errors
Network Indicators:
- Unusual baseband protocol traffic
- Malformed cellular control messages
SIEM Query:
Device logs containing 'modem crash', 'baseband fault', or similar error messages