CVE-2017-0331 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the NVIDIA video driver could enable a local malicious application to execute arbitrary code within the context of the kernel. This issue is rated as Critical due to the possibility of a local permanent device compromise, which may require reflashing the operating system to repair the device. Product: Android. Versions: Kernel 3.10. Android ID: A-34113000. References: N-CVE-2017-0331.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/23/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0331 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within NVIDIA video drivers running on Android devices with kernel version 3.10. This weakness resides in the graphics driver component that interfaces directly with the Android kernel, creating a pathway for malicious applications to escalate their privileges from user-level execution to kernel-level operations. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory management within the driver's kernel-space components, specifically affecting how the system handles graphics-related system calls and buffer operations. Attackers can exploit this flaw by crafting malicious applications that leverage the graphics driver's privileged access to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, effectively bypassing standard Android security boundaries and access controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a classic kernel exploit pattern where user-space applications can manipulate graphics driver interfaces to trigger memory corruption or privilege escalation conditions. The flaw allows for direct manipulation of kernel memory structures through graphics processing commands, enabling attackers to gain unauthorized access to system resources that should remain protected from user-level applications. This particular vulnerability operates at the intersection of graphics processing and kernel security, where the NVIDIA driver's implementation fails to properly validate or sanitize inputs from graphics processing commands. The exploitation process typically involves crafting specific graphics operations that cause the driver to execute unintended code paths, ultimately leading to kernel code execution.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses an extremely serious threat to Android device security as it enables persistent local compromise of affected systems. Once exploited, the malicious application can maintain persistent access to the device's kernel space, allowing for complete system control including the ability to modify or replace system binaries, disable security features, and establish backdoors for continued access. The critical nature of this vulnerability is underscored by the fact that such compromises often require complete device reinstallation or operating system reflashing to fully remediate the issue. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires only local execution privileges, making it accessible through malicious applications that users might legitimately install from various sources. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Android devices that utilize NVIDIA graphics processors, particularly those running kernel version 3.10, creating a significant security risk across multiple device manufacturers and models.
Security mitigations for CVE-2017-0331 primarily focus on patching the affected NVIDIA driver components and updating the Android kernel to versions that address the privilege escalation flaw. System administrators and device manufacturers should prioritize immediate deployment of NVIDIA security patches and Android updates that correct the driver's input validation and memory management issues. The vulnerability's classification as critical according to CVSS scoring standards indicates the severity of potential impact, requiring urgent attention from security teams. Organizations should also implement additional security controls such as application whitelisting, kernel address space layout randomization, and runtime monitoring to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and kernel-mode exploitation tactics, while CWE classification would likely fall under CWE-119 for memory corruption or CWE-264 for privilege escalation. Device users should avoid installing untrusted applications and maintain regular security updates to protect against this and similar kernel-level vulnerabilities that could compromise device integrity and user data confidentiality.