CVE-2015-6600 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 22882938.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6600 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 multimedia framework that handles various audio and video file formats, including mp4, 3gp, and other container formats that utilize the Advanced Systems Format (ASF) or similar encoding standards. The vulnerability specifically targets the parsing and processing mechanisms within the stagefright subsystem, which is responsible for decoding and rendering multimedia content across the Android platform.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory management within the media parser component. Attackers can craft maliciously formatted media files that exploit buffer overflow conditions and memory corruption vulnerabilities during the parsing process. When the vulnerable Android system attempts to process these specially crafted files, the malformed data triggers memory corruption that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the media processing service. This flaw operates at the kernel level within the Android framework, making it particularly dangerous as it can bypass traditional application sandboxing mechanisms and potentially escalate privileges to system-level access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution capabilities to include potential denial of service scenarios that can render affected devices unusable. The memory corruption issues can cause system crashes, application instability, and in some cases may lead to complete system compromise. Security researchers have noted that the vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited through multiple attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, and multimedia content shared via social media platforms. The exploitability of this vulnerability is enhanced by the fact that many Android devices automatically process and preview multimedia content without user interaction, making the attack surface extremely broad.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-6600 primarily involve applying the official Android security patches released by Google as part of the Android Security Bulletin for May 2015. Organizations and individuals should ensure their Android devices are updated to version 5.1.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the memory corruption issues within libstagefright. Additional protective measures include implementing network-based filtering to block suspicious multimedia content, disabling automatic media preview features, and maintaining up-to-date security software that can detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 and CWE-122 categories related to stack and heap-based buffer overflows, and its exploitation patterns correspond to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and code execution through system services. Network administrators should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring solutions to detect anomalous media processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts.