CVE-2017-0418 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in Audioserver 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: 4.4.4, 5.0.2, 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1. Android ID: A-32703959.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0418 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the Android audioserver component, which operates as a privileged system service responsible for managing audio functionality across the device. This vulnerability exists in multiple Android versions including 4.4.4, 5.0.2, 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, and 7.1.1, making it a widespread concern affecting a significant portion of the Android ecosystem. The audioserver process runs with elevated privileges and handles sensitive audio operations, creating a prime target for exploitation by malicious applications seeking to bypass normal security boundaries.
The technical flaw stems from improper input validation and memory handling within the audioserver service, specifically in how it processes audio-related commands and data structures. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability through a locally installed malicious application that leverages the privilege escalation to execute arbitrary code within the privileged context of the audioserver process. This allows the malicious application to perform actions that would normally be restricted to system-level components, including accessing sensitive system resources, modifying audio configurations, and potentially gaining further access to other system services. The vulnerability's classification as High severity reflects its potential to provide unauthorized access to elevated capabilities that are typically protected from third-party applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can enable attackers to compromise the entire audio system functionality and potentially use the elevated privileges as a foothold for further exploitation. Once an attacker gains access to the audioserver context, they can manipulate audio streams, access device audio recordings, and potentially interfere with other system audio services. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a classic example of how system services with elevated privileges can become attack vectors when proper security boundaries are not maintained. The exploitation process typically involves crafting specific audio-related commands or data structures that trigger memory corruption or buffer overflow conditions within the audioserver, allowing code execution in the privileged context.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0418 require immediate system updates from Google and device manufacturers, as the vulnerability affects core Android system components that cannot be patched through standard application updates. Users should ensure their devices are updated to patched versions of Android that address the privilege escalation flaw in audioserver. System administrators and security teams should implement monitoring for unusual audio service behavior and consider restricting local application installation on managed devices. Organizations should also conduct security assessments to identify potentially compromised devices and implement network-level controls to prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining proper privilege separation in system services and highlights the need for comprehensive input validation across all privileged processes. Additionally, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers privilege escalation through local exploits, emphasizing the need for robust system hardening measures and proper access controls to prevent unauthorized privilege elevation attacks.