CVE-2016-6779 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the HTC sound codec driver could enable a local malicious application to execute arbitrary code within the context of the kernel. This issue is rated as High because it first requires compromising a privileged process. Product: Android. Versions: Kernel-3.10. Android ID: A-31386004.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6779 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the HTC sound codec driver component of Android systems running kernel version 3.10. This issue resides in the kernel space of the operating system, making it particularly dangerous as it allows local malicious applications to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary code with the highest possible system permissions. The vulnerability's classification as High severity stems from the requirement for an attacker to first compromise a privileged process, which creates a more complex but still achievable attack vector that ultimately leads to complete system compromise.
The technical flaw manifests in the sound codec driver implementation where improper input validation and memory handling mechanisms allow an attacker to manipulate kernel memory structures through crafted audio data processing. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-119, which addresses "Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer," and represents a classic case of buffer overflow or memory corruption that can be exploited to gain kernel-level access. The attack typically involves sending specially crafted audio data to the vulnerable driver, which then processes this data without adequate bounds checking, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with complete control over the affected device's kernel space. Once exploited, the malicious application can perform actions such as modifying system files, installing persistent backdoors, accessing all user data, and potentially disabling security mechanisms. This represents a fundamental breach of the Android security model where the kernel's integrity is compromised, allowing attackers to bypass the normal security boundaries that separate user applications from system processes. The vulnerability affects all HTC devices running Android with kernel 3.10, making it a widespread concern across multiple device models and generations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-6779 require both immediate and long-term approaches to address the kernel-level flaw. Android security patches released by Google and HTC would need to be applied immediately to all affected devices, which involves updating the kernel and sound codec driver components with proper input validation and memory handling mechanisms. System administrators and device users should implement the principle of least privilege by limiting the execution of potentially malicious applications and monitoring for suspicious kernel activity. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and regular security audits of kernel components, particularly those handling multimedia data processing. Organizations should consider implementing runtime protection mechanisms and monitoring for unusual kernel behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the kernel as a critical system component that requires robust protection against malicious code injection and memory corruption attacks.