# CVE-2014-0973: Auth bypass in n/a

> Attackers can bypass boot-image authentication in Qualcomm LK bootloader by exploiting improper digest size validation, allowing unauthorized code execution at boot.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Aug 2014
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** CVE-2014-9794, GHSA-j2v2-fr8j-439j

## What is CVE-2014-0973?

CVE-2014-0973 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Aug 2014. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The image_verify function in platform/msm_shared/image_verify.c in the Little Kernel (LK) bootloader, as distributed with Qualcomm Innovation Center (QuIC) Android contributions for MSM devices and other products, does not check whether a certain digest size is consistent with the RSA_public_decrypt API specification, which makes it easier for attackers to bypass boot-image authentication requirements via trailing data.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2014-0973?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Little Kernel Project Little Kernel Bootloader.

## How do I fix CVE-2014-0973?

No fix has been published for CVE-2014-0973 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2014-0973 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-0973 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2014-4325](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-4325/): Security feature bypass in n/a (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2014-0974](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0974/): Memory corruption in n/a (low 1.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2014-0973 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2014-0973 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Aug 2014. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-0973 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0973/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0973/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-0973
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-0973
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2014-0973

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0973/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.