CVE-2015-6612 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
libmedia in Android before 5.1.1 LMY48X and 6.0 before 2015-11-01 allows attackers to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka internal bug 23540426.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/26/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6612 affects the libmedia library component within Android operating systems versions prior to 5.1.1 LMY48X and 6.0 before the 2015-11-01 security patch release. This represents a privilege escalation flaw that enables malicious applications to elevate their privileges and gain unauthorized access to system resources. The issue stems from improper access control mechanisms within the media framework that governs audio and video processing functionalities. The vulnerability was internally tracked as bug 23540426, indicating it was discovered and documented within Google's internal bug tracking system before public disclosure.
The technical flaw resides in the libmedia library's handling of inter-process communication and resource management during media processing operations. When applications attempt to interact with media services through the framework, the library fails to properly validate the privileges of the calling process, allowing unprivileged applications to manipulate system-level media components. This weakness creates a pathway for attackers to exploit the media processing subsystem and execute code with elevated privileges. The vulnerability specifically impacts how the system handles media buffer management and service communication, where insufficient input validation permits malicious actors to craft specially crafted media requests that bypass normal security boundaries. This flaw operates at the kernel level within the Android media framework, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited without requiring physical access or root privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows attackers to gain system-level privileges from a regular application context. Once exploited, the compromised application can access sensitive system resources, modify critical system files, and potentially install malicious software that persists across reboots. The vulnerability affects the entire Android ecosystem within the affected versions, making it a widespread concern for device security. Attackers can leverage this flaw to create persistent backdoors, steal user data, monitor communications, and compromise the integrity of the entire device. The privilege escalation capability means that even applications with minimal permissions can gain full system control, effectively neutralizing Android's application sandboxing mechanisms. This vulnerability directly impacts the security model of Android devices and can be exploited remotely or through social engineering attacks that trick users into installing malicious applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-6612 primarily involve applying the security patches released by Google as part of the 2015-11-01 security update. Organizations and users should immediately upgrade to Android 5.1.1 LMY48X or Android 6.0 with the corresponding security fixes. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all devices receive timely security updates. Device manufacturers should verify that their custom Android implementations include the necessary security fixes for the libmedia library. Additional defensive measures include implementing application whitelisting policies, monitoring for suspicious media processing activities, and conducting regular security audits of installed applications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper privilege management, and maps to attack techniques in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation tactics. Organizations should also consider network-level monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain updated threat intelligence feeds to identify malicious applications that may attempt to leverage this vulnerability.