dbcve.org
AndroidOperating system · Google

CVE-2014-9976

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2017-08-18
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
In all Qualcomm products with Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel, a buffer overflow vulnerability exists in 1x call processing.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · moderate confidence

A buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the 1x (1xRTT/CDMA2000) call processing code within the Linux kernel used in Qualcomm Android devices from Code Aurora Forum (CAF). The overflow occurs during 1x call handling, potentially allowing arbitrary code execution with kernel privileges.

MitigationApply vendor-supplied security patches; users should ensure their devices receive the latest Android/system updates from their carriers or device manufacturers.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
AndroidOperating system
Affected:all versions

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify if device uses a Qualcomm SoC with Code Aurora Forum kernel
    Check /proc/cpuinfo for Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and verify the kernel was built by Code Aurora Forum (look for CAF-specific kernel strings in /proc/version or kernel config)
    Affected if Device uses a non-Qualcomm SoC or a generic upstream Linux kernel (this vulnerability is specific to Qualcomm CAF kernels)
  2. Verify 1x/CDMA2000 network support is present
    Check kernel configuration for CONFIG_1X and CONFIG_CDMA2000 or inspect loaded modules for 1x-related network processing (lsmod and check for 1x, cdma2000, or voice-related modules)
    Affected if 1x call processing support is compiled into the kernel or loaded as a module (the vulnerability only triggers when this code path is executed)
  3. Confirm device operates on or supports CDMA2000 networks
    Check if the device SIM/network type supports CDMA (check /proc/sys/kernel/printk for network registration or use 'getprop' commands to check carrier network type properties like 'ril.1x.rat' or similar CDMA-related system properties)
    Affected if Device is CDMA-capable or connected to a 1xRTT/CDMA2000 network (the overflow occurs during 1x call handling)
  4. Determine kernel version and compare to fixed releases
    Run 'uname -r' to get kernel version; compare against any publicly disclosed patched versions from Qualcomm/CAF release notes (no specific version provided in CVE details)
    Affected if Kernel version predates the vendor security patch that addresses this buffer overflow

User is affected if running a Qualcomm-based Android device with a CAF kernel that includes 1x/CDMA2000 call processing support, particularly on CDMA networks, and the kernel version is older than the vendor-patched version.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply vendor-supplied security patches; users should ensure their devices receive the latest Android/system updates from their carriers or device manufacturers.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Android security patch level September 2014 or later (or latest available from your device manufacturer)

  1. Identify your current Android version and security patch level in Settings > About Phone > Android version
  2. Check if your device manufacturer has released a security update that includes the fix for CVE-2014-9976 (Qualcomm 1x call processing buffer overflow)
  3. If available, install the latest Android security update from your device manufacturer
  4. For devices no longer receiving official updates, consider migrating to a custom ROM with recent security patches or replacing the device
Caveat Devices that no longer receive manufacturer updates may need to be replaced or use custom ROMs; custom ROMs carry their own risks

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Android Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation8.0 h
  • Implementation24.0 h
  • Testing16.0 h
  • Review / QA8.0 h
56.0 hours of engineering $9,760
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2014-9976 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data