CVE-2016-3770 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
The MediaTek drivers in Android before 2016-07-05 on Android One devices allow attackers to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka Android internal bug 28346752 and MediaTek internal bug ALPS02703102.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3770 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw affecting MediaTek-based Android devices, particularly those running Android versions prior to July 5, 2016. This security weakness resides within the MediaTek driver implementations that are integral to the Android One device lineup, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries could exploit to elevate their privileges from standard application level access to system-level administrative control. The vulnerability manifests through a specially crafted application that can manipulate the underlying MediaTek hardware drivers, which are typically designed to operate with elevated privileges to manage device hardware components such as display controllers, audio systems, and communication interfaces.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages improper input validation and privilege management within the MediaTek driver components that interface with the Android operating system. These drivers operate in kernel space and handle critical hardware abstraction functions, making them prime targets for attackers seeking to bypass Android's security model. The flaw stems from inadequate sanitization of parameters passed to driver functions, allowing malicious applications to craft specific inputs that trigger unexpected behavior in the driver code. This misconfiguration creates a path for privilege escalation where untrusted application code can execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, effectively breaking the isolation boundaries that protect the Android system from malicious applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally undermines the security architecture of affected Android One devices. Attackers who successfully exploit this flaw can gain complete control over the device, enabling them to install malicious applications, access encrypted data, modify system files, and potentially establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects a significant portion of the Android ecosystem during that time period, as MediaTek processors were widely adopted across various Android device manufacturers, making the attack surface particularly broad. Security researchers have classified this issue under CWE-264, which represents "Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls" weaknesses, specifically highlighting the improper handling of privilege levels within kernel components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-3770 primarily focus on applying the relevant security patches released by Google and MediaTek, which include updated driver implementations and kernel modifications that properly validate input parameters and enforce appropriate privilege boundaries. Device manufacturers were advised to implement immediate firmware updates for affected Android One devices, while users should ensure their devices receive the necessary security updates from their respective vendors. The remediation process involves updating the MediaTek driver components to properly validate all inputs from user-space applications and enforce strict access controls for kernel-level operations. Additionally, security researchers recommend implementing runtime monitoring systems that can detect anomalous driver behavior patterns and provide early warning mechanisms for potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent unauthorized applications from running on affected devices, while maintaining regular security audits to identify potential vulnerabilities in the device's driver stack. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the use of kernel exploits to gain system-level access, making it a critical concern for mobile device security management and enterprise mobility security strategies.