CVE-2015-6599 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 23416608.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6599 resides within the libstagefright media processing library component of Android operating systems prior to version 5.1.1 LMY48T. This critical security flaw affects the underlying multimedia framework that handles various audio and video file formats, making it a prime target for remote exploitation. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory handling within the media parser implementation, creating a pathway for attackers to craft malicious media files that can trigger unexpected behavior in the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves memory corruption issues that occur when libstagefright processes specially crafted media files containing malformed data structures. Attackers can exploit this weakness by preparing media files with carefully constructed headers, metadata, or binary content that causes the parser to allocate memory incorrectly or access invalid memory locations. This memory corruption can manifest as stack overflows, heap corruption, or use-after-free conditions that ultimately lead to arbitrary code execution or system crashes. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the system level within the media processing framework, allowing attackers to bypass normal application sandboxing mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to Android device users and organizations relying on mobile platforms for business operations. Remote attackers can exploit this flaw without requiring physical access or user interaction, making it particularly dangerous in mobile environments where devices are frequently exposed to untrusted content through email attachments, web downloads, or social media platforms. The potential impact includes complete system compromise, data theft, persistent backdoor installation, and denial of service conditions that can render devices unusable. Organizations with mobile device management programs face additional challenges as this vulnerability can affect large fleets of devices simultaneously, requiring urgent patch deployment across all affected systems.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios, both of which are commonly associated with memory corruption vulnerabilities in multimedia processing libraries. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, as successful exploitation can lead to elevated system privileges and persistent access to affected devices. The exploitation chain typically involves initial remote code execution followed by privilege escalation to gain full system control. Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of Android security patches, implementation of network-based media filtering controls, and enhanced mobile device security monitoring to detect suspicious network traffic patterns. Organizations should also consider network segmentation and mobile threat defense solutions to reduce the attack surface and provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities in the future.