CVE-2016-6764 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
A denial of service vulnerability in Mediaserver 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. Product: Android. Versions: 4.4.4, 5.0.2, 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0. Android ID: A-31681434.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6764 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the Android mediaserver component that affects multiple versions of the operating system including 4.4.4, 5.0.2, 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, and 7.0. This issue stems from improper handling of specially crafted media files that can trigger system instability leading to device hangs or complete reboots. The mediaserver process serves as a central component responsible for processing multimedia content including audio and video files, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to disrupt device functionality. The vulnerability is classified as High severity due to its potential for remote exploitation, meaning an attacker could potentially trigger the denial of service condition without physical access to the device.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient input validation and error handling within the mediaserver's media file parsing routines. When the system processes malformed or specially crafted media files, the parsing logic fails to properly validate file structures and content boundaries, leading to memory corruption or unexpected behavior that ultimately causes the system to become unresponsive. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-129 Input Validation and OWASP Top Ten category A03: Injection, as it involves improper handling of untrusted input data. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with buffer overflows or integer overflows in media processing libraries, where attackers can manipulate file headers or metadata to cause the mediaserver to execute unintended code paths or consume excessive system resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple device disruption as it can be exploited remotely through various attack vectors including malicious email attachments, web downloads, or file transfers from compromised networks. Attackers can craft specific media files that, when opened or processed by the affected Android devices, will trigger the denial of service condition. This capability allows for widespread disruption across affected device populations, particularly concerning mobile devices that rely heavily on media processing capabilities. The vulnerability affects both personal and enterprise devices, potentially impacting productivity and user experience in corporate environments where mobile devices are critical for business operations. The remote exploitation capability also means that this vulnerability can be weaponized in large-scale attacks targeting Android users without requiring physical access to individual devices.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-6764 should focus on immediate security updates and system hardening measures. Google released security patches for Android versions 4.4.4, 5.0.2, 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, and 7.0 that address the underlying parsing flaws in the mediaserver component. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of these patches across all affected devices and implement network-level controls to filter potentially malicious media files. Additional defensive measures include enabling automatic security updates, implementing mobile device management policies that restrict media file downloads from untrusted sources, and conducting regular security assessments of media processing workflows. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004 Network Denial of Service and T1059.007 Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers could potentially leverage this weakness to establish persistent denial of service conditions or combine it with other attack vectors for more sophisticated exploitation. Device users should also exercise caution when opening media files from unknown sources and maintain regular backups to ensure quick recovery from potential exploitation events.