CVE-2016-6790 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the NVIDIA libomx library (libnvomx) could enable a local malicious application to execute arbitrary code within the context of a privileged process. This issue is rated as High because it could be used to gain local access to elevated capabilities, which are not normally accessible to a third-party application. Product: Android. Versions: Kernel-3.18. Android ID: A-31251628. References: N-CVE-2016-6790.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6790 resides within the NVIDIA libomx library component known as libnvomx which is integral to Android's multimedia framework. This library serves as a bridge between applications and hardware-accelerated multimedia processing capabilities, particularly on devices equipped with NVIDIA Tegra processors. The flaw manifests as an elevation of privilege vulnerability that allows a local malicious application to escalate its privileges and execute code within the context of a privileged process, fundamentally compromising the security boundaries that protect system-level operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory handling within the libnvomx library implementation. Specifically, the library fails to adequately validate data structures and parameters passed to its OMX (OpenMAX) components, creating opportunities for buffer overflows or other memory corruption issues. When a malicious application interacts with the multimedia framework through this library, it can potentially manipulate internal data structures to gain unauthorized access to privileged execution contexts. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow conditions, both of which are common attack vectors in privilege escalation scenarios.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant within the Android ecosystem, as it provides a pathway for local attackers to bypass normal security restrictions that typically prevent third-party applications from accessing system-level resources. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially gain root access to the device, enabling them to modify system files, install malicious applications with elevated privileges, or extract sensitive data from protected system components. This represents a critical compromise of the Android security model, as it allows an application with minimal privileges to achieve full system control, undermining the principle of least privilege that forms the foundation of mobile operating system security.
The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK framework techniques including T1068, which describes "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation," and T1059, covering "Command and Scripting Interpreter." Attackers could leverage this vulnerability as part of a multi-stage attack chain where they first gain initial access through a mobile application, then exploit this privilege escalation flaw to achieve persistent system-level control. The Android ID A-31251628 indicates this was recognized by Google as a critical security issue affecting devices running kernel version 3.18, which was prevalent in various Android releases from 2015-2016. Organizations and users should consider this vulnerability in their risk assessments, particularly for devices that rely heavily on hardware-accelerated multimedia processing and have not received appropriate security patches.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve applying the security patches provided by NVIDIA and Google, which typically include code modifications to properly validate input parameters and prevent memory corruption within the libnvomx library. System administrators should ensure that all devices running affected Android versions receive timely security updates, particularly those that utilize NVIDIA Tegra processors. Additional defensive measures include implementing application sandboxing policies, monitoring for suspicious behavior patterns in multimedia processing components, and maintaining comprehensive system monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure coding practices in system-level libraries and highlights the need for rigorous security testing of multimedia frameworks that interface with privileged system components.