Android vulnerable to wi-fi bugs

A Linux kernel developer has discovered flaws in the driver for a popular wi-fi chipset in Android devices that can be used to remotely execute code on victims' devices and take them over.

Scott Bauer sifted through almost 691,000 lines of C code for the software driver in the Qualcomm Atheros wi-fi hardware that is found in Google's Pixel and Nexus 5x phones and other Android hardware such as tablets and network routers.

He discovered six remote code execution bugs - three of which are rated as critical and another three marked as high severity - in the qcacld wi-fi driver.

Some of the operating system kernel memory corruption flaws could be abused to fully compromise Androd devices over wi-fi connections by running arbitrary code on them.

Google has issued patches for the six flaws, and there are no reports the bugs have been exploited in the wild.

Bauer said he had resisted giving the bugs fancy monikers, choosing instead to use the pleasestopnamingvulnerabilities.com domain.

The Linux developer has two other remotely exploitable bugs up his sleeve for Android to be documented, both of which are currently unfixed.

Earlier this year other researchers discovered the "Broadpwn' flaw in the wireless communications chipsets made by Broadcomm. The flaw could be used for silent, remote takeover of smartphones.