dbcve.org
Mdm9206 FirmwareOperating system · Qualcomm

CVE-2018-11271

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2019-05-24
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
Improper authentication can happen on Remote command handling due to inappropriate handling of events in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon IoT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Wearables in MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9650, MSM8909W, MSM8996AU, QCS605, Qualcomm 215, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 425, SD 427, SD 430, SD 435, SD 439 / SD 429, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 625, SD 632, SD 636, SD 650/52, SD 675, SD 712 / SD 710 / SD 670, SD 820, SD 820A, SD 835, SD 845 / SD 850, SD 855, SDA660, SDM439, SDM630, SDM660, SM7150, Snapdragon_High_Med_2016, SXR1130

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

This vulnerability involves improper authentication in remote command handling within Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. The authentication bypass occurs due to inappropriate handling of events, potentially allowing remote attackers to execute commands without proper authentication. The issue affects a wide range of Snapdragon platforms used in mobile devices, IoT devices, wearables, and automotive systems.

MitigationApply firmware updates from device vendors or Qualcomm as they become available. For IoT and legacy devices that may not receive updates, consider network segmentation and monitoring for indicators of compromise, and evaluate device replacement if patches are unavailable.

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
Qcs605 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Qm215 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 chipset model
    Determine the Qualcomm Snapdragon or MDM chipset used in the device. This information is typically found in device specifications, hardware documentation, or by accessing the device's system information or bootloader information.
    Affected if The device uses any of the following chipsets: Mdm9206, Mdm9607, Mdm9650, Msm8909w, Msm8996au, Qcs605, Qm215, or Sd 210.
  2. Determine firmware version
    Access the device's firmware version information through manufacturer documentation, device settings, or by querying the system via debugging interfaces if available. Compare the installed firmware version against the affected product list.
    Affected if The device firmware is for any of the listed affected products (all versions of Mdm9206, Mdm9607, Mdm9650, Msm8909w, Msm8996au, Qcs605, Qm215, or Sd 210).
  3. Check for exposed remote command interfaces
    Review network configuration and listening services on the device. Look for remote management interfaces, command listeners, or network services that accept remote commands. Use network scanning tools to identify open ports that may handle remote commands.
    Affected if The device has network-accessible interfaces that handle remote commands or management functions enabled and exposed.
  4. Inspect authentication configuration for remote services
    Examine the device configuration files and settings related to authentication for remote access or command handling services. Check whether authentication is properly enforced for remote command interfaces.
    Affected if Remote command handling services are configured with weak, disabled, or improperly implemented authentication, or if authentication can be bypassed for remote command execution.

A device is affected if it contains any of the listed Qualcomm chipset models (Mdm9206, Mdm9607, Mdm9650, Msm8909w, Msm8996au, Qcs605, Qm215, or Sd 210) and has remote command handling services exposed or accessible, especially if authentication mechanisms are not properly enforced.

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 firmware updates from device vendors or Qualcomm as they become available. For IoT and legacy devices that may not receive updates, consider network segmentation and monitoring for indicators of compromise, and evaluate device replacement if patches are unavailable.

Fix this in Mdm9206 Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation12.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing8.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
32.0 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-2018-11271 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