CVE-2016-1155 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
HTTP header injection vulnerability in the URLConnection class in Android OS 2.2 through 6.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary scripts or set arbitrary values in cookies.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/30/2020
The CVE-2016-1155 vulnerability represents a critical HTTP header injection flaw within the URLConnection class of Android operating systems ranging from version 2.2 through 6.0. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization of HTTP headers during network communication processes, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate header values and potentially execute unauthorized operations. The flaw specifically affects how Android applications handle HTTP requests and responses, particularly when processing user-supplied data that gets incorporated into HTTP headers without proper sanitization measures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs at the application layer where the URLConnection class fails to properly validate or escape special characters in HTTP header values. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input that contains carriage return and line feed characters, which when processed through the vulnerable Android versions, can inject additional HTTP headers or modify existing ones. This injection capability allows threat actors to manipulate cookie values, redirect traffic, or inject malicious content into HTTP responses, effectively compromising the integrity of network communications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-113, which addresses improper neutralization of CRLF (Carriage Return Line Feed) sequences in HTTP headers, and represents a classic example of header injection attacks that have been documented in various security frameworks.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-1155 extends beyond simple data manipulation to encompass potential full system compromise through session hijacking and cross-site scripting attacks. When exploited, this vulnerability enables attackers to set arbitrary cookie values, which can lead to authentication bypasses, session fixation attacks, and unauthorized access to user accounts. Applications that rely on Android's built-in HTTP handling mechanisms become particularly vulnerable, as the flaw exists at the core networking libraries rather than in specific applications. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous because it affects a broad range of Android applications without requiring application-specific exploitation techniques, creating a widespread attack surface that spans multiple application categories and use cases.
Organizations and developers should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Android versions that have addressed this vulnerability, typically Android 6.0.1 and later releases. The recommended approach involves implementing comprehensive input validation and sanitization of all user-supplied data before it is processed in HTTP header contexts. Security measures should include the use of proper HTTP header encoding, implementing strict validation of header values, and employing network traffic monitoring to detect anomalous header injection patterns. Additionally, developers should consider implementing additional security layers such as Content Security Policy headers and regular security audits of network communication components to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1071.004 for Application Layer Protocol: DNS and T1566 for Credential Access: Brute Force, highlighting the potential for both network protocol manipulation and authentication bypass techniques that can be employed through this vulnerability.