CVE-2016-0842 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
The H.264 decoder in libstagefright in Android 6.x before 2016-04-01 mishandles Memory Management Control Operation (MMCO) data, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted media file, aka internal bug 25818142.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0842 represents a critical memory management flaw within the H.264 decoder component of Android's stagefright multimedia framework. This vulnerability affects Android 6.x versions released prior to April 1, 2016, and specifically targets the Memory Management Control Operation (MMCO) handling mechanism within the video decoding process. The flaw resides in how the libstagefright library processes MMCO data structures during H.264 video decoding operations, creating a pathway for remote code execution through maliciously crafted media files. The vulnerability stems from improper validation and handling of memory management operations that occur during video frame reconstruction and memory allocation processes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of MMCO data structures that control memory management operations in H.264 video streams. When the stagefright decoder encounters malformed MMCO information within a crafted media file, the memory management routines fail to properly validate the input data, leading to memory corruption conditions. This corruption can manifest as buffer overflows, use-after-free errors, or other memory safety violations that allow attackers to manipulate the execution flow of the decoder process. The vulnerability specifically exploits the decoder's handling of reference picture management operations that occur during video decoding, where improper bounds checking and memory allocation routines create exploitable conditions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to Android devices since it enables remote code execution without user interaction, making it particularly dangerous in scenarios involving multimedia file delivery through email attachments, web downloads, or messaging applications. The memory corruption effects can result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the stagefright process, which typically runs with system-level permissions. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service since it can be leveraged to gain persistent access to affected devices, potentially enabling surveillance, data exfiltration, or further exploitation of the compromised system. Attackers can craft malicious H.264 video files that trigger the vulnerable code path when the media is played or even when the file is simply accessed by the system's media processing capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-0842 focus primarily on applying the vendor-provided security patches released in April 2016, which address the specific memory management issues in the MMCO handling code. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of Android security updates, particularly for devices running Android 6.0 Marshmallow versions prior to the patch date. System administrators should implement network-level controls to block suspicious media file types and consider deploying mobile device management solutions that can enforce automatic security updates. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities, both of which are commonly exploited in multimedia decoder exploits. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and execution through compromised system components, potentially enabling initial access through malicious media files and subsequent lateral movement within affected networks. Additionally, defensive measures should include regular security assessments of multimedia processing components and implementation of sandboxing mechanisms to limit the impact of potential exploitation.