# CVE-2020-11261: Qualcomm Multiple Chipsets Improper Input Validation

> Memory corruption in Qualcomm Snapdragon firmware allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges via large memory allocation requests.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 1 Dec 2021 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 9 Jun 2021
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** 2742124, A-161373974, ASB-A-161373974, GHSA-5cwq-39c4-23v7

## What is CVE-2020-11261?

CVE-2020-11261 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Qualcomm Apq8009 Firmware, published on 9 Jun 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Memory corruption due to improper check to return error when user application requests memory allocation of a huge size in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-11261?

It affects 399 products.


Products: Qualcomm Apq8009 Firmware, Qualcomm Apq8009w Firmware, Qualcomm Apq8017 Firmware, Qualcomm Apq8037 Firmware, Qualcomm Apq8053 Firmware, Qualcomm Apq8064au Firmware, Qualcomm Apq8096au Firmware, Qualcomm Aqt1000 Firmware, Qualcomm Ar8031 Firmware, Qualcomm Ar8035 Firmware, Qualcomm Ar8151 Firmware, Qualcomm Csra6620 Firmware, Qualcomm Csra6640 Firmware, Qualcomm Csrb31024 Firmware, Qualcomm Fsm10055 Firmware, Qualcomm Fsm10056 Firmware, Qualcomm Mdm9650 Firmware, Qualcomm Msm8909w Firmware, Qualcomm Msm8917 Firmware, Qualcomm Msm8920 Firmware and 379 more.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-11261?

Apply the vendor's patch. US federal agencies must fix it by 1 Jun 2022.

## Is CVE-2020-11261 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-11261 in the wild since at least 1 Dec 2021.

## Other vulnerabilities in Qualcomm Apq8009 Firmware

- [CVE-2021-1905](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1905/): Qualcomm Multiple Chipsets Use-After-Free (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-1906](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1906/): Qualcomm Multiple Chipsets Detection of Error Condition Without Action (medium 6.2, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-40510](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-40510/): Buffer copy without checking size of input in Audio. (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-22088](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22088/): Integer Overflow to Buffer Overflow in Bluetooth HOST (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-25720](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-25720/): Memory corruption in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-11261 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-11261 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Qualcomm Apq8009 Firmware, published on 9 Jun 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-11261 in the wild since at least 1 Dec 2021.

Affected product: Qualcomm Apq8009 Firmware. 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-2020-11261/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11261/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-11261
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-11261
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-11261

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11261/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.