CVE-2024-45555
Published: 06 January 2025
Summary
CVE-2024-45555 is a high-severity Out-of-bounds Write (CWE-787) vulnerability in Qualcomm Msm8996Au Firmware. Its CVSS base score is 8.4 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Bootkit (T1542.003); ranked at the 7.1th 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 SC-34 (Non-modifiable Executable Programs) and SI-16 (Memory Protection).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2024-45555 is a memory corruption vulnerability (CWE-787, CWE-190) in the IFS2 image verification process within Qualcomm products. It arises when an already verified IFS2 image is overwritten, bypassing boot verification mechanisms. This flaw allows unauthorized programs to be injected into security-sensitive images, enabling the booting of a tampered IFS2 system image. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.4 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) and was published on 2025-01-06.
A local attacker can exploit this vulnerability with low attack complexity and no privileges or user interaction required. By overwriting the verified IFS2 image, the attacker achieves memory corruption, injecting malicious code into security-sensitive boot images. Successful exploitation enables booting a fully tampered IFS2 system image, compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability at a high level.
Mitigation details are provided in the Qualcomm January 2025 Security Bulletin, available at https://docs.qualcomm.com/product/publicresources/securitybulletin/january-2025-bulletin.html.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-41265
Vulnerability details
Memory corruption can occur if an already verified IFS2 image is overwritten, bypassing boot verification. This allows unauthorized programs to be injected into security-sensitive images, enabling the booting of a tampered IFS2 system image.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Bypasses boot verification to enable injection and booting of tampered system images, directly facilitating bootkit persistence and system image patching.
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Implements memory protection mechanisms that directly mitigate memory corruption vulnerabilities (CWE-787, CWE-190) enabling overwrite of verified IFS2 boot images.
Prevents modification of non-modifiable executable programs, such as verified security-sensitive IFS2 boot images, during the boot process.
Enforces integrity verification of software, firmware, and boot images to prevent execution of tampered IFS2 system images post-overwrite.