CVE-2014-7915 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in SampleTable.cpp in libstagefright in Android before 5.0.0 has unspecified impact and attack vectors, aka internal bug 15328708.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7915 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the SampleTable.cpp component of libstagefright, a core multimedia framework in Android operating systems. This issue affects Android versions prior to 5.0.0 and was internally tracked as bug 15328708, highlighting the severity and complexity of the underlying problem. The vulnerability resides in how the system handles integer arithmetic during multimedia file processing, specifically within the sample table parsing functionality that manages audio and video data structures.
The technical implementation of this integer overflow occurs when libstagefright processes multimedia containers such as mp4 files, where the sample table structure contains metadata about audio and video samples. During parsing operations, the system performs integer calculations to determine buffer sizes, sample counts, and memory allocation requirements. When these calculations exceed the maximum representable value for the integer type being used, the overflow causes unpredictable behavior in memory management and data processing. This flaw can be triggered through malformed multimedia files that contain crafted values in their sample table entries, leading to potential exploitation of the underlying system resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability spans multiple security domains and attack vectors, though the exact nature of these vectors remains unspecified in the original description. However, based on similar integer overflow vulnerabilities in multimedia processing components, attackers could potentially leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code on affected devices. The vulnerability's presence in libstagefright makes it particularly dangerous as this framework handles all multimedia processing across the Android platform, potentially affecting applications, system services, and user data. The unspecified impact designation suggests that the consequences could range from denial of service conditions to full system compromise depending on how the overflow manifests during processing.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and control through application execution. The flaw demonstrates the inherent risks in multimedia processing libraries where input validation is insufficient to prevent malicious data from causing system instability or exploitation. Organizations should consider implementing comprehensive patch management strategies, as this vulnerability affects a fundamental system component that was prevalent across numerous Android devices and versions. The remediation approach requires updating to Android 5.0.0 or later, where the integer overflow has been addressed through proper input validation and overflow checking mechanisms.
The broader implications extend beyond immediate exploitation potential to highlight the importance of robust input validation in multimedia frameworks. This vulnerability exemplifies how seemingly benign file processing operations can become attack vectors when proper boundary checking is absent. Security practitioners should recognize that multimedia processing components often handle untrusted data from various sources and require rigorous testing for arithmetic overflow conditions. The lack of specific attack vector details in the original CVE description underscores the need for comprehensive threat modeling and vulnerability assessment of multimedia handling components within mobile operating systems.