CVE-2016-6713 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
A remote denial of service vulnerability in Mediaserver in Android 6.x before 2016-11-01 and 7.0 before 2016-11-01 could enable an attacker to use a specially crafted file to cause a device hang or reboot. This issue is rated as High due to the possibility of remote denial of service. Android ID: A-30822755.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6713 represents a critical remote denial of service flaw within the mediaserver component of Android operating systems. This vulnerability specifically affects Android 6.x versions prior to 2016-11-01 and Android 7.0 before the same patch date, making it a significant concern for users of these mobile platforms. The mediaserver process serves as a central component responsible for handling multimedia operations including audio and video processing, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to disrupt device functionality. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within the mediaserver's handling of specially crafted media files, creating an exploitable condition that can be triggered remotely.
The technical flaw manifests when the mediaserver processes malformed media files that contain crafted payloads designed to trigger memory corruption or resource exhaustion conditions. This vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which describes "Stack-based Buffer Overflow" and CWE-122, "Heap-based Buffer Overflow" categories, as the attack exploits memory management issues within the media processing pipeline. When an attacker successfully delivers a malicious media file to a vulnerable device, the mediaserver process becomes unstable and either enters a state of indefinite hang or triggers an automatic system reboot. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be executed remotely through various channels including email attachments, web downloads, or file sharing applications, requiring no physical access to the target device.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can render devices completely unusable until manual reboot or system recovery is performed. This creates significant risk for enterprise environments where mobile devices are critical for business operations, and for individual users who may experience loss of access to important applications and data. The vulnerability's high severity rating reflects its potential for widespread exploitation across millions of affected Android devices, with the possibility of cascading effects when multiple devices within a network are compromised. Attackers can leverage this weakness to create persistent denial of service conditions that may require device-level intervention to resolve, potentially causing productivity loss and user frustration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-6713 primarily focus on applying the official security patches released by Google for the affected Android versions. Organizations should implement comprehensive mobile device management policies that ensure timely deployment of security updates across all enterprise devices. Network administrators should consider implementing media file filtering mechanisms to prevent potentially malicious media content from reaching vulnerable devices, though this approach may not be foolproof given the sophisticated nature of the attack. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001, "Fragile Command and Control", as it can be used to establish persistent denial of service conditions against targeted systems. Additionally, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and memory safety practices in mobile operating systems, highlighting the need for robust security architecture in multimedia processing components. Users should be educated about the risks of downloading media content from untrusted sources, and security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability in their network traffic.