CVE-2017-0400 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability in lvm/wrapper/Bundle/EffectBundle.cpp in libeffects in Audioserver could enable a local malicious application to access data outside of its permission levels. This issue is rated as Moderate because it could be used to access sensitive data without permission. Product: Android. Versions: 4.4.4, 5.0.2, 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1. Android ID: A-32584034.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0400 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Android audio subsystem, specifically within the libeffects library component of the Audioserver service. This issue resides in the lvm/wrapper/Bundle/EffectBundle.cpp file where improper access controls and memory management mechanisms fail to properly restrict data access boundaries. The vulnerability manifests as a privilege escalation vector that allows local malicious applications to bypass normal permission restrictions and access sensitive data that should be restricted to higher privilege levels. The flaw specifically affects Android versions ranging from 4.4.4 through 7.1, indicating a prolonged exposure window across multiple major releases. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-200 category of "Information Exposure" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for privilege escalation through system service manipulation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking and memory access validation within the effect bundle processing code. When the Audioserver processes audio effect bundles, the code fails to properly validate memory boundaries and access permissions, creating a scenario where a malicious application can craft specific input data that triggers unauthorized data access patterns. The flaw exploits the underlying architecture of the Android audio framework where system services maintain elevated privileges while processing user-space requests. This creates an attack surface where local applications can manipulate the effect bundle processing pipeline to access memory regions containing sensitive information from other processes or system components. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the core audio processing infrastructure, which typically runs with elevated privileges and has access to system resources that are normally protected from user-space applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0400 extends beyond simple data leakage, as it provides a pathway for attackers to access potentially sensitive system information that could be leveraged for further exploitation. Local applications can utilize this vulnerability to extract information such as system memory contents, configuration data, or other sensitive artifacts that may reveal system architecture details, user data, or application state information. The moderate severity rating reflects the fact that while the vulnerability requires local execution and does not provide direct network access, it can be weaponized to compromise the integrity of the audio subsystem and potentially enable more sophisticated attacks. Attackers could combine this information disclosure with other vulnerabilities to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within the Android environment. The vulnerability's presence in multiple Android versions suggests that organizations with older Android deployments may remain exposed to this threat for extended periods.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0400 focus on both immediate patching and operational security measures. Android security updates released in 2017 addressed this vulnerability through enhanced memory access controls and improved bounds checking within the effect bundle processing code. Organizations should prioritize applying the relevant security patches and updates to all affected Android versions to eliminate the exposure. Additionally, implementing application sandboxing and runtime monitoring can help detect anomalous behavior patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. System administrators should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices in system services and demonstrates the critical need for memory safety mechanisms in audio and multimedia frameworks. Security teams should monitor for any potential exploitation attempts through log analysis and behavioral monitoring, particularly focusing on unusual audio processing activities or memory access patterns within the Audioserver component.