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Mdm9206 FirmwareOperating system · Qualcomm

CVE-2015-9190

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 Mobile and Snapdragon Wear IPQ4019, MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9615, MDM9625, MDM9635M, MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 600, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 808, and SD 810, if start_addr + size is too large in boot_clobber_check_local_address_range(), an integer overflow occurs, resulting in clobber protection check being bypassed and SBL memory corruption.

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

Integer overflow in boot_clobber_check_local_address_range() in Qualcomm Snapdragon boot ROM allows bypass of memory protection when start_addr + size exceeds integer limits, corrupting Secondary Boot Loader (SBL) memory on affected Snapdragon IPQ4019, MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9615, MDM9625, MDM9635M, MSM8909W, SD 210/212/205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 600, SD 615/16/415, SD 808, and SD 810 chipsets.

MitigationApply vendor firmware updates; this vulnerability was patched in the 2018-04-05 Android security patch level or later. Organizations should inventory affected devices and coordinate with OEMs for OTA or firmware 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
Mdm9206 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Mdm9607 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Mdm9615 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Mdm9625 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Mdm9635m FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Ipq4019 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Msm8909w FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Sd 210 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 the Qualcomm chipset model
    Check the device specifications or system information to determine if the chipset matches any of the affected models: IPQ4019, MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9615, MDM9625, MDM9635M, MSM8909W, SD 210, SD 212, SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 600, SD 615/16/415, SD 808, or SD 810
    Affected if The device uses any of the listed Qualcomm chipsets
  2. Check firmware version on MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9615, MDM9625, MDM9635M, IPQ4019, MSM8909W, or SD 210
    Access the device's firmware information through boot logs, bootloader interface, or vendor-specific diagnostic tools. Query the baseband or modem firmware version string
    Affected if The firmware version is present and is older than the 2018-04-05 Android security patch level, or if the version cannot be determined (all versions are affected)
  3. Verify Android security patch level
    On Android devices, check Settings > About Phone > Security Patch Level to see the installed Android security update date
    Affected if The Security Patch Level is earlier than April 5, 2018 or is not displayed (indicating unpatched firmware)
  4. Inspect boot ROM version if accessible
    Examine boot logs or debug interfaces for boot ROM version strings related to the Secondary Boot Loader (SBL). This may require JTAG, UART, or manufacturer diagnostic tools
    Affected if The boot ROM/SBL version cannot be verified or is confirmed to predate the April 2018 patch

A user is affected if their device contains one of the listed Qualcomm chipsets and is running firmware with a security patch level earlier than April 5, 2018, or if the firmware version cannot be determined.

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 firmware updates; this vulnerability was patched in the 2018-04-05 Android security patch level or later. Organizations should inventory affected devices and coordinate with OEMs for OTA or firmware updates.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Android Security Patch Level 2018-04-05 or later (firmware update from OEM containing patched Qualcomm bootloader)

  1. 1. Contact your device OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) to request the latest firmware/security update that addresses CVE-2015-9190.
  2. 2. Apply the April 2018 Android Security Patch Level or later, which contains the fix for this vulnerability.
  3. 3. Verify the device is running a patched bootloader/firmware version by checking the build information or contacting the OEM.
  4. 4. If the device OEM has discontinued support, consider replacing the device with a model that receives ongoing security updates.
Caveat Firmware updates for legacy chipsets may no longer be available from OEMs; some older devices may be End-of-Life and require replacement

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

Fix this in Mdm9206 Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
9.0 hours of engineering $1,610
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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-2015-9190 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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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