dbcve.org
Mdm9206 FirmwareOperating system · Qualcomm

CVE-2016-10436

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 Small Cell SoC, Snapdragon Mobile, and Snapdragon Wear FSM9055, IPQ4019, IPQ8064, MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9635M, MDM9640, MDM9650, MSM8909W, QCA4531, QCA9980, 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 808, SD 810, SD 820, SD 835, and SDX20, improper input validation infuse read request leads to 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

This is a memory corruption vulnerability in Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets where improper input validation in the 'infuse read request' function allows attackers to corrupt memory, potentially enabling arbitrary code execution. The flaw exists across multiple chipset generations including mobile processors, small cell SoCs, and wearable processors.

MitigationApply the Android security patch level from 2018-04-05 or later, which contains the fix for this input validation flaw in affected Qualcomm components. Device users should update to the latest manufacturer firmware that includes this security patch.

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
Fsm9055 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Ipq4019 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Mdm9635m FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Mdm9640 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Mdm9645 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Mdm9650 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 in the device
    Check device documentation, system information, or boot logs for the chipset identifier. Common methods: 'lspci' or 'cat /proc/cpuinfo' on Linux-based embedded systems, or check manufacturer hardware specifications.
    Affected if The device uses any of these models: Mdm9206, Mdm9607, Fsm9055, Ipq4019, Mdm9635m, Mdm9640, Mdm9645, or Mdm9650
  2. Verify the firmware version of the Qualcomm chipset
    Access the device's firmware version through manufacturer utilities, bootloader information, or system diagnostic interfaces. On some devices, 'cat /proc/version' or vendor-specific AT commands may reveal firmware details.
    Affected if Any firmware version is installed on the affected chipset models, as all versions are vulnerable
  3. Determine if the infuse read request feature is accessible
    Examine available device interfaces (debug ports, diagnostic APIs, maintenance protocols) to see if the infuse read request function can be triggered. Check for exposed services that handle firmware read operations or data injection.
    Affected if The infuse read request function is exposed or accessible through any interface on the affected device
  4. Check the Android security patch level if applicable
    On Android devices, go to Settings > About Phone > Build Number or use 'getprop ro.build.version.security_patch' via ADB to see the installed security patch level.
    Affected if The security patch level is earlier than 2018-04-05 on a device with an affected Qualcomm chipset

The device is affected if it contains any of the listed Qualcomm chipset models (Mdm9206, Mdm9607, Fsm9055, Ipq4019, Mdm9635m, Mdm9640, Mdm9645, Mdm9650) regardless of firmware version, and the device does not have the 2018-04-05 or later Android security patch applied.

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 Android security patch level from 2018-04-05 or later, which contains the fix for this input validation flaw in affected Qualcomm components. Device users should update to the latest manufacturer firmware that includes this security patch.

Recommended fix High confidence

Android Security Patch Level 2018-04-05 or later (device-specific OEM firmware update required)

  1. Identify the specific device model containing the affected Qualcomm component (FSM9055, IPQ4019, MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9635M, MDM9640, MDM9645, or MDM9650)
  2. Contact the device OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) to obtain a firmware update that includes the April 2018 Android Security Patch Level or later
  3. Apply the OEM-provided firmware update to remediate the improper input validation vulnerability in the infuse read request
  4. Verify the installed security patch level is 2018-04-05 or later using system settings or OEM verification tools
Caveat Firmware updates may require device downtime and should be tested in a staging environment before production deployment

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

Fix this in Mdm9206 Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation6.0 h
  • Implementation12.0 h
  • Testing10.0 h
  • Review / QA5.0 h
33.0 hours of engineering $5,760
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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-2016-10436 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