CVE-2023-21666 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE record was published by Qualcomm on May 2, 2023, and involves a memory corruption vulnerability in graphics that occurs while accessing a buffer allocated through the graphics pool.

Understanding CVE-2023-21666

The vulnerability identified in CVE-2023-21666 pertains to a memory corruption issue in graphics that arises when accessing a buffer allocated through the graphics pool.

What is CVE-2023-21666?

CVE-2023-21666 involves improper release of memory before removing the last reference (

Memory Leak

) in graphics, which can lead to memory corruption.

The Impact of CVE-2023-21666

The impact of this vulnerability is rated as HIGH, with a CVSSv3.1 base score of 8.4. It can result in high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts when exploited. The attack complexity is low, and the attack vector is local, requiring no special privileges.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-21666

This section provides more insight into the vulnerability, including a description, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability results from a memory corruption issue in graphics that occurs when interacting with a buffer allocated through the graphics pool.

Affected Systems and Versions

Multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms and products are affected by this vulnerability, including specific versions associated with each platform.

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker with local access to the affected system and does not require any special privileges to trigger the memory corruption issue.

Mitigation and Prevention

To prevent potential exploitation and address the CVE-2023-21666 vulnerability, it is essential to take immediate steps, implement long-term security practices, and apply necessary patches and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Immediately review and apply patches or workarounds provided by Qualcomm to address the memory corruption issue in graphics and mitigate the associated risks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Enhance overall system security by following best practices, such as regular security audits, implementing secure coding guidelines, and staying informed about potential vulnerabilities and updates.

Patching and Updates

Regularly check for security bulletins and updates from Qualcomm, specifically regarding the CVE-2023-21666 vulnerability, and apply patches promptly to protect systems from potential attacks.