CVE-2019-16508 : Security Advisory and Response

A vulnerability in the Imagination Technologies driver for Chrome OS before specific versions allows attackers to exploit an Integer Overflow, leading to elevated privileges.

Understanding CVE-2019-16508

This CVE describes a security issue in the Imagination Technologies driver for Chrome OS that can be exploited by attackers to gain elevated privileges.

What is CVE-2019-16508?

The vulnerability in the Imagination Technologies driver for Chrome OS before certain versions enables attackers to trigger an Integer Overflow using a malicious application, granting them elevated privileges. The issue stems from privileged access granted to the GPU process towards /dev/dri/card1 and the PowerVR ioctl handler.

The Impact of CVE-2019-16508

Exploiting this vulnerability allows attackers to gain elevated privileges on the affected system, potentially leading to unauthorized access and control.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-16508

This section provides technical details of the CVE-2019-16508 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows attackers to trigger an Integer Overflow through a malicious application, resulting in the escalation of privileges. The issue arises from the GPU process's privileged access to /dev/dri/card1 and the PowerVR ioctl handler.

Affected Systems and Versions

Imagination Technologies driver for Chrome OS before R74-11895.B
Imagination Technologies driver for Chrome OS before R75-12105.B
Imagination Technologies driver for Chrome OS before R76-12208.0.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by using a malicious application to trigger an Integer Overflow, which grants them elevated privileges. The demonstration of this vulnerability is illustrated by PVRSRVBridgeSyncPrimOpCreate.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-16508 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the Imagination Technologies driver to versions R74-11895.B, R75-12105.B, or R76-12208.0.0 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor system logs for any suspicious activities that could indicate exploitation of the vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch all software and drivers to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Implement strict application control policies to limit the execution of potentially malicious applications.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by Imagination Technologies promptly to address the vulnerability and enhance system security.