# CVE-2023-21642: Improper Access Control in HAB Memory Management

> Memory corruption in Qualcomm Snapdragon firmware allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges via physical address access.

- **Severity:** High 8.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 2 May 2023
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xrgv-hghj-6jpj

## What is CVE-2023-21642?

CVE-2023-21642 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Qualcomm Qam8295p Firmware, published on 2 May 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Memory corruption in HAB Memory management due to broad system privileges via physical address.

Weakness: CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-21642?

It affects 13 products.


Products: Qualcomm Qam8295p Firmware, Qualcomm Qca6574au Firmware, Qualcomm Qca6696 Firmware, Qualcomm Sa6145p Firmware, Qualcomm Sa6150p Firmware, Qualcomm Sa6155p Firmware, Qualcomm Sa8145p Firmware, Qualcomm Sa8150p Firmware, Qualcomm Sa8155p Firmware, Qualcomm Sa8195p Firmware, Qualcomm Sa8295p Firmware, Qualcomm Sa8540p Firmware, Qualcomm Sa9000p Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-21642?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-21642 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-21642 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-21642 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Qualcomm Qam8295p Firmware

- [CVE-2023-33039](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-33039/): Use After Free in Automotive Display (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2022-40539](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-40539/): Improper Validation of Array Index in Automotive Android OS (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2022-33274](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-33274/): Improper validation of array index in Android Core (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2022-33300](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-33300/): Improper input validation in Automotive Android OS (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2021-35126](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-35126/): Memory corruption in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile (high 8.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-21642 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-21642 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Qualcomm Qam8295p Firmware, published on 2 May 2023. 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-2023-21642 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Qualcomm Qam8295p 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-2023-21642/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-21642/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-21642
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-21642
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-21642

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-21642/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.