CVE-2016-6788 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the MediaTek I2C 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: N/A. Android ID: A-31224428. References: MT-ALPS02943467.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6788 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the MediaTek I2C driver component of Android systems. This weakness resides in the kernel-level device driver responsible for managing inter-integrated circuit communications, which forms a fundamental part of the Android operating system's hardware abstraction layer. The vulnerability's classification as High severity stems from its requirement for an initial compromise of a privileged process, indicating that attackers must first gain some level of system access before exploiting this specific weakness. The MediaTek I2C driver serves as a bridge between hardware components and the operating system, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to escalate their privileges and gain deeper system control.
The technical flaw manifests through improper input validation and memory handling within the I2C driver implementation. When a malicious application attempts to interact with the I2C subsystem through kernel interfaces, the driver fails to properly validate the data structures and parameters passed to it. This validation failure creates a potential code execution path where arbitrary code can be injected and executed within the kernel context. The vulnerability likely involves buffer overflow conditions or improper pointer dereferences that occur during I2C transaction processing, allowing attackers to manipulate kernel memory and execute malicious code with the highest system privileges. This type of flaw directly maps to CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities that can lead to privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of the Android security model. Once exploited, the malicious application gains kernel-level privileges, enabling it to bypass all standard security controls including SELinux policies, application sandboxing, and other mandatory access controls. Attackers could leverage this capability to modify system files, install persistent backdoors, access encrypted data, or even modify the behavior of other system components. The vulnerability affects the core Android security architecture by undermining the principle of least privilege and allowing unauthorized code execution at the most privileged level of the operating system. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through kernel exploits, and represents a significant threat to mobile device security.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-6788 require immediate system updates and patches from device manufacturers, as the vulnerability exists within the kernel driver level where user-space mitigations prove ineffective. Organizations should prioritize applying security patches from MediaTek and their respective device manufacturers to address the specific I2C driver implementation flaws. System administrators should implement additional monitoring for unusual I2C activity and kernel-level process behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure driver development practices and proper input validation in kernel components. Device manufacturers should conduct thorough security reviews of all kernel modules and implement stricter code review processes for hardware drivers. The issue demonstrates how vulnerabilities in seemingly specialized hardware drivers can create pathways for broader system compromise, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing across all system components and aligning with industry best practices for secure embedded system development.