CVE-2017-0452 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability in the Qualcomm camera driver could enable a local malicious application to access data outside of its permission levels. This issue is rated as Low because it first requires compromising a privileged process. Product: Android. Versions: Kernel-3.10. Android ID: A-32873615. References: QC-CR#1093693.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2017-0452 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Qualcomm camera driver component of Android systems. This weakness resides in the kernel version 3.10 and affects the broader Android ecosystem through the Android ID A-32873615. The issue stems from improper access control mechanisms within the camera driver implementation that fails to adequately enforce privilege boundaries. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to extract sensitive data that should normally be restricted to higher-privilege processes, effectively bypassing standard security controls that govern data access permissions.
The technical nature of this flaw falls under the category of privilege escalation and information disclosure vulnerabilities, specifically manifesting as a failure in access control enforcement within kernel-level drivers. The vulnerability operates through the camera driver subsystem where insufficient validation occurs when processing requests from user-space applications. This allows a local malicious application to craft specific requests that can access memory regions or data structures that should be protected from unauthorized access. The exploitation requires an initial compromise of a privileged process, which aligns with the low severity rating as noted in the vulnerability assessment. However, this prerequisite does not diminish the potential impact, as the vulnerability enables data leakage that could include sensitive system information, user data, or other confidential resources.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security implications for Android devices that rely on Qualcomm hardware components. The local nature of the exploit means that malicious applications must already have some level of access to the device, but once achieved, the information disclosure could expose system internals, user credentials, or application data that would otherwise remain protected. The impact extends beyond simple data leakage, as this vulnerability could potentially enable attackers to gather intelligence about system configurations, memory layouts, or other sensitive information that could aid in subsequent attacks. The fact that this affects the kernel-level camera driver means that the exposure could be particularly severe given the privileged nature of kernel operations and the potential for escalation to full system compromise.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability primarily focus on patch management and system updates to ensure that affected Qualcomm camera drivers receive the necessary security patches. Organizations should implement comprehensive mobile device management policies that enforce timely updates and monitor for vulnerable components within their Android fleets. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper kernel driver security reviews and adherence to secure coding practices, particularly around access control mechanisms and privilege validation. Security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments focusing on kernel-level components and implement monitoring for suspicious access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical need for robust security controls at all levels of the system, including the kernel driver layer, as failures at this level can have cascading effects on overall system security. The issue also underscores the necessity of following industry standards such as those defined in CWE categories related to privilege escalation and information disclosure, as well as ATT&CK techniques that address privilege escalation and credential access through kernel-level exploits.