CVE-2016-6689 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
Binder in the kernel in Android before 2016-10-05 on Nexus devices allows attackers to obtain sensitive information via a crafted application, aka internal bug 30768347.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6689 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Android kernel's Binder driver component. This security weakness specifically affected Nexus devices running Android versions prior to the 2016-10-05 security patch release, creating a significant vector for attackers to extract sensitive system information. The vulnerability stems from improper access control mechanisms within the Binder IPC (Inter-Process Communication) framework that governs how applications communicate with system services in Android. The Binder driver serves as the core communication layer between different processes and system components, making it a prime target for privilege escalation and information gathering attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a flaw in how the Binder driver handles certain system calls and memory management operations. Attackers can exploit this weakness through a specially crafted application that manipulates the Binder interface to access kernel memory regions that should normally be restricted to privileged system processes. This improper memory access allows the malicious application to read sensitive data from kernel space, potentially including credentials, encryption keys, system configurations, and other confidential information that should remain protected from user-space applications. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level, bypassing standard Android application sandboxing mechanisms and providing attackers with unprecedented access to system internals.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-6689 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a foundation for more sophisticated attacks. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can potentially establish persistent access to the device, escalate privileges to system level, or use the gathered information to launch additional attacks against other system components. The vulnerability affects all Nexus devices that were shipped with Android versions prior to the October 2016 security update, including Nexus 5, Nexus 7, Nexus 9, and other affected hardware platforms. This widespread impact across multiple device models and Android versions made the vulnerability particularly dangerous in the mobile threat landscape, as it could be exploited across a large user base with minimal device-specific customization requirements.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve applying the official Android security patches released on October 5, 2016, which addressed the underlying Binder driver implementation issues. System administrators and device manufacturers should prioritize immediate deployment of these updates across all affected Nexus devices to prevent exploitation. Additional protective measures include implementing application sandboxing controls, monitoring for suspicious Binder interface usage patterns, and maintaining comprehensive device monitoring systems to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider network-level controls to prevent unauthorized applications from being installed on managed devices and implement mobile device management solutions that can enforce security policies and restrict access to sensitive system interfaces. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200 (Information Disclosure) and represents a classic example of how kernel-level flaws can create persistent security risks that affect entire device ecosystems. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation and credential access techniques, as it enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to system-level information that can be leveraged for further compromise of the affected devices.