dbcve.org
Mdm9206 FirmwareOperating system · Qualcomm

CVE-2017-18296

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2018-10-23
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
80/100
Remediation priority · High
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
Access control on applications is not applied while accessing SafeSwitch services can lead to improper access in Snapdragon Automobile, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Wear in version MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9650, MSM8909W, MSM8996AU, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 425, SD 430, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 617, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, SD 845, SDA660, SDX20.

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

Missing access control checks in SafeSwitch services on affected Snapdragon chipsets allow applications to bypass proper authorization when accessing these services, leading to improper/una unauthorized access to system functions.

MitigationApply OEM-provided firmware updates for affected devices; until patches are available, monitor for unauthorized access to SafeSwitch functions and restrict application permissions where possible.

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
Mdm9650 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Msm8909w FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Msm8996au 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

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
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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 device chipset model
    Check the device's processor/chipset information through system settings, /proc/cpuinfo on Android devices, or device documentation. Look for Qualcomm Snapdragon identifiers such as Mdm9206, Mdm9607, Mdm9650, Msm8909w, Msm8996au,Sd 210, Sd 212, or Sd 205.
    Affected if The chipset matches any of the affected models listed in the CVE.
  2. Determine the firmware version
    Retrieve the current firmware version through the device settings under 'About Phone' > 'Build Number', or via shell commands such as 'getprop ro.build.version.sw' or 'getprop ro.firmware.version' on Android devices.
    Affected if The device firmware version corresponds to any of the affected Qualcomm chipset models, as all firmware versions for these chipsets are vulnerable.
  3. Verify SafeSwitch service exposure
    Check for the presence and accessibility of SafeSwitch-related services or binaries on the device. This may include reviewing running services, exposed APIs, or logs that reference SafeSwitch, DRS, or similar remote management components.
    Affected if SafeSwitch services are present and accessible on the device without proper authentication controls.
  4. Review application permissions for SafeSwitch access
    Audit installed applications and their granted permissions, focusing on any apps that request elevated system permissions or have access to device administration or remote management features.
    Affected if Applications without proper authorization can access SafeSwitch functions or related system services.

A device is affected if it uses any of the listed Qualcomm chipset models (Mdm9206, Mdm9607, Mdm9650, Msm8909w, Msm8996au, Sd 210, Sd 212, Sd 205) regardless of firmware version, and SafeSwitch services are accessible without proper access control validation.

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 OEM-provided firmware updates for affected devices; until patches are available, monitor for unauthorized access to SafeSwitch functions and restrict application permissions where possible.

Fix this in Mdm9206 Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation8.0 h
  • Implementation16.0 h
  • Testing12.0 h
  • Review / QA6.0 h
42.0 hours of engineering $7,360
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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-2017-18296 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