dbcve.org
AndroidOperating system · Google

CVE-2016-10380

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, the UE can send unprotected MeasurementReports revealing UE location.

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

In Qualcomm baseband firmware used in Android devices with CAF Linux kernels, the LTE MeasurementReport messages are sent without encryption or integrity protection. These reports contain location-relevant information (neighboring cell IDs, signal strengths, timing advances) that can be intercepted by attackers to determine the UE's geographic location.

MitigationApply Qualcomm CAF firmware/security patches for the baseband processor; carriers should push baseband updates to affected devices. Users should apply Android security updates promptly.

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 the baseband processor manufacturer
    Check the device specifications or use 'getprop' commands (e.g., 'getprop ro.baseband') to determine if the device uses Qualcomm baseband firmware
    Affected if The device uses Qualcomm baseband/modem processor (the vulnerability exists in Qualcomm baseband firmware, not other baseband implementations)
  2. Confirm CAF Linux kernel usage
    Check if the device runs a CAF (Code Aurora Forum) Linux kernel by reviewing kernel version strings or build properties
    Affected if The device uses CAF Linux kernels with Qualcomm baseband (the vulnerability specifically affects this combination)
  3. Inspect LTE MeasurementReport handling
    Analyze network traffic using a packet capture tool capable of monitoring LTE interface (if accessible) to verify if MeasurementReport messages contain unencrypted location-relevant data such as neighboring cell IDs, signal strengths, and timing advances
    Affected if LTE MeasurementReport messages are transmitted in plaintext without encryption or integrity protection (this indicates the vulnerability is present and exploitable)
  4. Check for baseband firmware version
    Use 'getprop' commands such as 'getprop gsm.version.baseband' or 'getprop ro.build.version.baseband' to retrieve the baseband firmware version, then compare against any vendor-provided patch information
    Affected if The baseband firmware version predates patches for CVE-2016-10380 (no specific patched version provided, so compare against carrier/vendor release notes if available)
  5. Review Android security patch level
    Check the Android security patch level via 'getprop ro.build.version.security_patch' to determine if the device has received recent Android security updates
    Affected if The security patch level is outdated (Android security updates may include baseband patches, though this CVE is carrier/vendor dependent)

A user is affected if their Android device uses Qualcomm baseband firmware with CAF Linux kernels and transmits unencrypted LTE MeasurementReport messages containing location-relevant information.

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 Qualcomm CAF firmware/security patches for the baseband processor; carriers should push baseband updates to affected devices. Users should apply Android security updates promptly.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Android Security Patch Level 2017-04-01 or later (specific to Qualcomm CAF releases)

  1. Check current Android security patch level on the device (Settings > About Phone > Security patch level)
  2. Contact device manufacturer or carrier for the availability of the security update addressing CVE-2016-10380
  3. Apply the appropriate Android security update once released by the device vendor
  4. For enterprise environments, use mobile device management (MDM) solutions to enforce security patch compliance
  5. Verify the patch has been applied by re-checking the Security patch level after update

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

Fix this in Android Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation8.0 h
  • Implementation40.0 h
  • Testing24.0 h
  • Review / QA16.0 h
88.0 hours of engineering $15,280
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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-2016-10380 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