CVE-2024-53028 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-367, representing a Time-of-check to Time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition in Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. This flaw occurs during the processing of messages from the frontend component, specifically during memory allocation operations. The race condition can lead to memory corruption, which may be exploited to alter program flow or escalate privileges. The affected products include a broad range of Snapdragon modem platforms such as QAM8255P, SA8150P, SA9000P, and others, covering many recent Qualcomm chipsets used in mobile and embedded devices. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, indicating high severity, with attack vector being local (AV:L), requiring low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). The flaw does not require user interaction but does require local access, making it a significant risk in scenarios where an attacker can execute code or send crafted messages locally. No public exploits are known yet, but the potential for privilege escalation and system compromise is high. Qualcomm has not yet published patches, so mitigation currently relies on access control and monitoring.

The impact of CVE-2024-53028 is substantial for organizations relying on affected Snapdragon chipsets, especially in mobile devices, IoT, and embedded systems. Successful exploitation can lead to full compromise of device confidentiality, integrity, and availability, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code with escalated privileges. This can result in data theft, persistent malware installation, disruption of device functionality, or use of compromised devices as footholds within larger networks. Given the widespread deployment of Snapdragon chipsets globally, the vulnerability poses risks to consumer electronics, enterprise mobile devices, telecommunications infrastructure, and critical embedded systems. The local attack vector limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk in environments where attackers can gain local access, such as through malicious apps, insider threats, or compromised peripherals. The absence of known exploits currently reduces immediate risk but does not preclude future weaponization.

1. Monitor Qualcomm’s official channels closely for patches and apply them promptly once released. 2. Restrict local access to devices with affected Snapdragon chipsets by enforcing strong device authentication and limiting physical and software-based access to trusted users and applications only. 3. Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing to prevent untrusted code execution that could trigger the race condition. 4. Implement runtime integrity monitoring and anomaly detection on devices to identify suspicious memory corruption or privilege escalation attempts. 5. For enterprise deployments, consider network segmentation to isolate vulnerable devices and reduce lateral movement risk. 6. Educate users and administrators about the risks of installing untrusted applications or connecting unknown peripherals that could facilitate local exploitation. 7. Use secure boot and trusted execution environments where available to limit the impact of memory corruption. 8. Regularly audit device firmware and software versions to ensure compliance with security policies.