CVE-2024-53020: Qualcomm Apq8017 Info Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2024-53020 Overview

CVE-2024-53020 is a network-exploitable information disclosure vulnerability affecting a broad range of Qualcomm firmware components. The flaw resides in the Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) packet decoding path. When the decoder processes an RTP packet containing an invalid header extension, it reads memory beyond the intended bounds and can leak sensitive process data to the attacker. The weakness is classified under CWE-126: Buffer Over-read. The issue impacts Snapdragon mobile, automotive, compute, wearable, IoT, FastConnect, and modem-RF platforms.

Critical Impact

A remote attacker can send a crafted RTP packet to a vulnerable Qualcomm-based device and disclose confidential memory contents without authentication or user interaction.

Affected Products

• Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile platforms (Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/2/3, 8+ Gen 1/2, 865, 888, 480, 765, 778G, and additional variants)
• Qualcomm automotive and compute platforms including SA8155P, SA8295P, SA8650P, SA8775P, and Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3 Compute
• Qualcomm connectivity and IoT firmware including FastConnect 6200/6700/6800/6900/7800, QCA series, QCM/QCS series, and WCN/WSA/WCD audio and Wi-Fi chipsets

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-06-03 - CVE-2024-53020 published to NVD
• June 2025 - Disclosed in the Qualcomm June 2025 Security Bulletin
• 2025-11-28 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-53020

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability lives in the RTP parsing logic inside Qualcomm multimedia firmware. RTP is the transport mechanism used for VoIP, video calls, conferencing, and other real-time streaming. Each RTP packet may carry an optional header extension whose length is declared in a 16-bit field. The decoder uses this declared length to read the extension bytes from the packet buffer.

When a crafted packet declares an extension length that exceeds the actual packet payload, the decoder continues reading past the end of the validated input buffer. This out-of-bounds read pulls adjacent heap or stack data into the decoded structure. Depending on the calling context, that adjacent data can include stream metadata, cryptographic material, signaling state, or other secrets co-located in memory.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing or insufficient validation of the header extension length field against the remaining packet size before the read operation. The parser trusts the attacker-controlled length value and performs the copy without enforcing that extension_length + extension_offset <= packet_total_length. This is a classic CWE-126 condition.

Attack Vector

An unauthenticated remote attacker exploits the flaw by transmitting a malformed RTP packet to any active media session endpoint hosted on a vulnerable Qualcomm chipset. No user interaction is required. The attack is possible during VoLTE calls, VoWiFi calls, video conferencing, or any application that processes RTP streams through the affected firmware components. Successful exploitation does not provide code execution, but the leaked memory may contain data that enables follow-on attacks or bypass of address-space randomization.

No verified exploitation code examples are available in public sources. See the Qualcomm June 2025 Security Bulletin for vendor-supplied technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-53020

Indicators of Compromise

• Inbound RTP packets where the header extension length field describes a region larger than the remaining packet body
• Unexpected RTP traffic to mobile or automotive endpoints from sources outside the negotiated SDP media path
• Anomalous crashes, restarts, or watchdog resets in modem, audio, or media subsystems of Qualcomm-based devices

Detection Strategies

• Deploy deep packet inspection on session border controllers and enterprise media gateways to validate RTP header extension length fields against actual packet length
• Monitor mobile device management (MDM) telemetry for firmware versions that predate the Qualcomm June 2025 bulletin patch level
• Correlate VoIP signaling logs with media plane anomalies to surface malformed RTP streams targeting endpoints

Monitoring Recommendations

• Forward firmware patch level data from managed mobile, automotive, and IoT fleets into a centralized analytics platform for exposure tracking
• Alert on RTP sessions originating from unexpected source addresses or that bypass the SIP/SDP negotiation phase
• Track audio and media service crash signatures in device diagnostic logs as potential exploitation artifacts

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-53020

Immediate Actions Required

• Identify all Qualcomm-based devices in scope, including mobile handsets, automotive head units, XR/wearable devices, and IoT gateways
• Apply the OEM firmware update that incorporates the Qualcomm June 2025 security patch level as soon as it is published by the device manufacturer
• Restrict exposure of RTP-handling services to trusted networks where feasible until patches are deployed

Patch Information

Qualcomm released fixes in coordination with the June 2025 Security Bulletin. The patches must be integrated and delivered by downstream OEMs such as smartphone vendors, automotive manufacturers, and IoT device makers. Confirm that the device firmware reports a security patch level of June 2025 or later that includes this CVE in the changelog.

Workarounds

• Disable or constrain RTP-based services (VoLTE, VoWiFi, video conferencing) on affected devices in highly sensitive environments until patches are available
• Enforce session border controller filtering to validate RTP packet structure and drop malformed header extensions
• Limit attack surface by ensuring media streams traverse only authenticated and authorized signaling paths

# Verify Android security patch level on a managed device
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch
# Expected output should be 2025-06-01 or later for this fix