CVE-2018-9389
Published: 18 January 2025
Summary
CVE-2018-9389 is a high-severity Out-of-bounds Write (CWE-787) vulnerability in Google Android. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked at the 10.5th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 RA-5 (Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning) and SI-16 (Memory Protection).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2018-9389 is a heap buffer overflow vulnerability in the ip6_append_data function of ip6_output.c. This flaw enables possible code execution and affects the Android kernel, as detailed in the Android Pixel security bulletin.
A local attacker with low privileges (PR:L) can exploit this vulnerability due to low attack complexity (AC:L) and without requiring user interaction (UI:N). No additional execution privileges are needed beyond the attacker's base access. Successful exploitation leads to local escalation of privilege, with high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CVSS:3.1 score of 7.8; AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H). The issue is classified under CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write).
The Android security bulletin for Pixel devices, published June 1, 2018 (https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/pixel/2018-06-01), addresses this vulnerability with patches for affected components.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2018-20983
Vulnerability details
In ip6_append_data of ip6_output.c, there is a possible way to achieve code execution due to a heap buffer overflow. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Kernel heap buffer overflow directly enables local privilege escalation via exploitation of a software vulnerability.
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly requires identification, reporting, and correction of the heap buffer overflow flaw in the Android kernel's ip6_append_data function via timely patching.
Implements memory protection mechanisms such as ASLR and non-executable heap memory to prevent code execution from the heap buffer overflow in the kernel.
Enables regular vulnerability scanning to identify the presence of CVE-2018-9389 in kernel components, facilitating prompt remediation.