dbcve.org
AndroidOperating system · Google

CVE-2015-9053

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 the processing of certain responses from the USIM.

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 Linux kernel components of Qualcomm Android devices (CAF releases) when processing certain responses from the USIM (Universal Subscriber Identity Module). This kernel-level flaw could allow code execution with elevated privileges due to improper bounds checking when handling USIM APDU responses.

MitigationApply Qualcomm/CAF security patches via Android system updates; users should ensure devices are running the latest manufacturer-provided security updates.

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. Confirm device uses Qualcomm chipset
    Check /proc/cpuinfo or system settings for 'Qualcomm' or 'Snapdragon' processor identifier, or check if build includes CAF (Code Aurora Forum) kernel sources
    Affected if Device does not use Qualcomm chipset - this vulnerability specifically affects Qualcomm CAF kernel components
  2. Identify the kernel version
    Run 'uname -r' or check /proc/version to retrieve the kernel version string
    Affected if Kernel version is older than patched versions - the vulnerability exists in unpatched kernel versions for Qualcomm Android devices
  3. Verify USIM functionality is present
    Check if device has cellular/SIM capability by reviewing settings under 'About phone' > 'SIM status' or checking for /dev/smd* USIM-related device nodes
    Affected if Device lacks USIM capability - the vulnerability only applies when processing USIM APDU responses on devices with active SIM functionality

A user is affected if they have a Qualcomm-based Android device with an unpatched kernel version that actively uses USIM/SIM functionality for cellular connectivity.

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.

From vendor data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply Qualcomm/CAF security patches via Android system updates; users should ensure devices are running the latest manufacturer-provided security updates.

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-2015-9053 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