CVE-2015-3870 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
libstagefright in Android before 5.1.1 LMY48T allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted media file, aka internal bug 22771132.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-3870 resides within the libstagefright multimedia framework component of Android operating systems prior to version 5.1.1 LMY48T. This critical flaw represents a memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution or induce denial of service conditions through the careful crafting of malicious media files. The vulnerability was internally tracked as bug 22771132, highlighting its significance within the Android security ecosystem and the potential for widespread exploitation across affected devices.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within the libstagefright library which processes various multimedia formats including mp4, 3gp, and other container formats. When the affected Android versions attempt to parse maliciously constructed media files, the library fails to properly validate buffer boundaries and memory allocations, leading to heap-based buffer overflows or other memory corruption conditions. These memory corruption issues can be leveraged by attackers to overwrite critical memory locations, potentially allowing execution of arbitrary code with the privileges of the multimedia processing service.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-3870 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass full system compromise capabilities. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or malicious media content served through compromised websites. The vulnerability affects the core multimedia processing functionality of Android devices, meaning that any device running an affected Android version could be compromised simply by opening or playing a malicious media file. This makes the attack surface extremely broad and difficult to control, as users may encounter malicious media content in numerous legitimate contexts.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are fundamental memory corruption patterns that enable arbitrary code execution. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving initial access through malicious files and privilege escalation through code execution within system services. The exploitation process typically involves crafting a specially formatted media file that triggers the memory corruption when processed by the vulnerable libstagefright component, potentially leading to complete system compromise. Organizations should implement immediate patching strategies and network-based protections to mitigate this risk while also considering device-specific security controls and user education to reduce exposure to malicious media content.