dbcve.org
Mdm9206 FirmwareOperating system · Qualcomm

CVE-2015-9172

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2018-04-18
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 Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Automobile, Snapdragon Mobile, and Snapdragon Wear MDM9206, MDM9650, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 430, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 617, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, SD 845, and SD 850, in a WideVine API function, a buffer over-read can occur.

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 · high confidence

A buffer over-read vulnerability exists in the WideVine API function within Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets (MDM9206, MDM9650, SD series 210-850) running Android before the 2018-04-05 security patch level. This memory safety flaw could allow attackers to read sensitive data from adjacent memory regions.

MitigationApply the April 2018 or later Android security patch level; contact device OEMs for firmware updates as this vulnerability resides in the chipset firmware layer requiring Qualcomm microcode patches.

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
Mdm9206 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Mdm9650 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Sd 210 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Sd 212 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Sd 205 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Sd 400 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Sd 410 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Sd 412 FirmwareOperating 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 your device chipset model
    Check your device specifications or use a system info app to determine the processor/chipset model (e.g., Qualcomm Snapdragon MDM9206, MDM9650, SD 210, SD 212, SD 205, SD 400, SD 410, or SD 412)
    Affected if The chipset matches one of the affected models listed (MDM9206, MDM9650, SD 210, SD 212, SD 205, SD 400, SD 410, or SD 412)
  2. Check Android security patch level
    Go to Settings > About Phone > Android security patch level (or Settings > System > Security > Security patch level) to view the installed patch date
    Affected if The security patch level is dated before April 5, 2018 (2018-04-05)
  3. Confirm WideVine DRM is in use
    Check if your device uses WideVine DRM for content protection (typically found in Settings > Security > DRM info or through apps that stream protected content like Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Google Play Movies)
    Affected if WideVine DRM is enabled or actively used on the device

You are affected if your device contains one of the listed Qualcomm chipsets AND is running an Android security patch level predating April 5, 2018 AND uses WideVine DRM functionality.

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 the April 2018 or later Android security patch level; contact device OEMs for firmware updates as this vulnerability resides in the chipset firmware layer requiring Qualcomm microcode patches.

Recommended fix High confidence

Android devices with April 2018 security patch level or later (e.g., 2018-04-05 security bulletin)

  1. 1. Check the current Android security patch level on the affected device via Settings > About Phone > Android security patch level
  2. 2. Apply the Android security update released on or after April 5, 2018, which contains the fix for this vulnerability
  3. 3. This update is distributed through carrier/OEM channels and Google Play system updates for supported devices
  4. 4. Verify the security patch level shows April 2018 or later after the update
Caveat Devices no longer receiving security updates from OEMs may remain vulnerable; consider replacing with a supported device

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

Fix this in Mdm9206 Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation12.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing16.0 h
  • Review / QA8.0 h
44.0 hours of engineering $7,680
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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-2015-9172 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