CVE-2016-8472 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability in the MediaTek driver could enable a local malicious application to access data outside of its permission levels. This issue is rated as Moderate because it first requires compromising a privileged process. Product: Android. Versions: N/A. Android ID: A-31531758. References: MT-ALPS02961384.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2022
The CVE-2016-8472 vulnerability represents a significant information disclosure flaw within MediaTek driver implementations that affects Android devices. This vulnerability resides in the kernel-level driver components developed by MediaTek, which are widely used across various Android smartphone and tablet devices. The flaw enables local privilege escalation through a specific memory access issue that allows a malicious application to bypass normal permission boundaries and access data that should be restricted to higher privilege levels. The vulnerability specifically impacts the driver's handling of memory operations and buffer management, creating an avenue for unauthorized data access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper access control mechanisms within the MediaTek driver code. When a malicious application attempts to interact with restricted memory regions through the driver interface, the system fails to properly validate the requesting process's privileges. This occurs due to a lack of proper boundary checking and validation routines that should normally enforce the principle of least privilege. The vulnerability can be exploited by an application that has already compromised a privileged process, which serves as the initial attack vector. This requirement for prior compromise makes the vulnerability moderately rated rather than critical, as it cannot be exploited directly from a standard user application without first gaining elevated privileges.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial security implications for Android device users and organizations relying on these devices. The information disclosure could potentially expose sensitive user data, device configuration information, or other restricted system resources that would normally be protected from unauthorized access. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to extract confidential information such as user credentials, personal data, or device-specific identifiers that could be used for further exploitation or identity theft. The impact extends beyond individual users to enterprise environments where mobile devices may contain corporate data, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations implementing mobile device management solutions.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-8472 primarily focus on updating device firmware and applying security patches from device manufacturers. Android security updates typically address such vulnerabilities through kernel-level patches that correct the driver's memory access controls and privilege validation mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected devices receive timely updates. Additionally, security monitoring should include detection of unauthorized applications attempting to access restricted system resources, which could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and represents a classic example of how driver-level security flaws can create persistent access control weaknesses. This vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1068 (Local Privilege Escalation) and T1005 (Data from Local System) within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, demonstrating how initial compromise can lead to broader information gathering capabilities. Device manufacturers should implement more rigorous security testing of driver components during development phases to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced into production systems.