CVE-2016-2477 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
mm-video-v4l2/vidc/vdec/src/omx_vdec_msm8974.cpp in mediaserver in Android 4.x before 4.4.4, 5.0.x before 5.0.2, 5.1.x before 5.1.1, and 6.x before 2016-06-01 mishandles pointers, which allows attackers to gain privileges via a crafted application, as demonstrated by obtaining Signature or SignatureOrSystem access, aka internal bug 27251096.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/18/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-2477 resides within the mediaserver component of Android operating systems, specifically affecting versions prior to the listed security patches. This issue manifests in the mm-video-v4l2/vidc/vdec/src/omx_vdec_msm8974.cpp file which handles video decoding operations for Qualcomm MSM8974-based devices. The flaw represents a critical pointer handling error that enables malicious applications to escalate privileges and gain access to system-level permissions including Signature or SignatureOrSystem access levels.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper pointer management within the video decoder implementation, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory references and execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. This pointer mishandling allows an attacker to bypass normal security boundaries and obtain access to privileged system resources. The vulnerability specifically affects Android versions 4.x before 4.4.4, 5.0.x before 5.0.2, 5.1.x before 5.1.1, and 6.x before the 2016-06-01 security update, indicating a widespread impact across multiple Android release lines and device manufacturers.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant security risks as it enables privilege escalation attacks that can result in complete system compromise. An attacker with a crafted application could exploit this vulnerability to gain access to sensitive system functions, potentially allowing for data theft, system modification, or further attack vector exploitation. The impact extends beyond individual device security to potentially affect entire device fleets when the vulnerability exists in widely deployed Android versions. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique, specifically leveraging software vulnerabilities to gain elevated access rights within the Android operating system.
Security researchers have classified this vulnerability under CWE-787 which represents "Out-of-bounds Write" and related pointer manipulation issues that can lead to privilege escalation. The vulnerability demonstrates how multimedia processing components can become attack surfaces for system-level exploitation, particularly when proper bounds checking and pointer validation mechanisms are absent. Device manufacturers and security teams should prioritize patching affected Android versions to prevent exploitation, as the vulnerability can be leveraged by malicious applications without requiring user interaction or special privileges. The timeframe for patch availability, specifically the 2016-06-01 cutoff date, indicates that this vulnerability was actively exploited in the wild before proper mitigations were released to the public.