Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is an information leak in Qualcomm’s Android GPU kernel driver. A programming error could expose kernel stack contents on affected MSM-based Android builds. The sources do not provide a CVSS score, severity rating, or evidence of active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat this as a legacy mobile fleet exposure issue. It is not shown as actively exploited, but affected unsupported devices may remain permanently vulnerable and should be updated, isolated, or retired.
Technical view
CVE-2017-14891 affects the KGSL driver function _gpuobj_map_useraddr() in Android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, and QRD Android before 2017-10-12. The issue is an uninitialized variable that can leak stack contents. The affected scope is described as Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on older Qualcomm MSM Android-derived devices or downstream vendor kernels built from affected CAF Linux kernel releases before 2017-10-12. Modern devices are less likely exposed if they received relevant Android, Pixel, or OEM security updates.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not identify active exploitation, public exploit tooling, or CISA KEV listing. The impact shown is information disclosure, which may be useful in a chained attack, but the sources do not establish standalone compromise.
Researcher notes
Evidence is limited to the CVE description, CAF commit reference, and Android Pixel bulletin reference. No CVSS, CWE, exploit status, or detailed affected device matrix is provided in the bundle, so exposure confirmation depends on vendor kernel lineage.
Mitigation direction
- Apply OEM or Android security updates that include the relevant Qualcomm/CAF kernel fix.
- Verify downstream kernels include commit 736667bf08b03fdca824e88b901c2dbdd6703a0c or an equivalent patch.
- Prioritize unsupported Qualcomm-based Android devices for retirement or compensating controls.
- Check vendor bulletins before declaring a device remediated.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Android devices using Qualcomm MSM chipsets or CAF-derived Linux kernels.
- Check device security patch levels against applicable OEM and Android bulletins.
- Review kernel source or vendor release notes for the referenced KGSL fix.
- Confirm no legacy Firefox OS for MSM or QRD Android builds remain in use.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CVE-2017-14891 mapping review
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Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://source.codeaurora.org/quic/la/kernel/msm-3.18/commit/?id=736667bf08b03fdca824e88b901c2dbdd6703a0cCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/pixel/2018-02-01CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.