CVE-2017-0465 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Qualcomm ADSPRPC driver could enable a local malicious application to execute arbitrary code within the context of the kernel. This issue is rated as High because it first requires compromising a privileged process. Product: Android. Versions: Kernel-3.10, Kernel-3.18. Android ID: A-34112914. References: QC-CR#1110747.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0465 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the Qualcomm ADSPRPC driver component of Android systems. This issue resides in the kernel-level communication interface between the application processor and the audio digital signal processor, creating a potential pathway for malicious applications to escalate their privileges and execute code with kernel-level permissions. The vulnerability specifically affects Android devices running kernel versions 3.10 and 3.18, making it particularly concerning given the widespread adoption of these kernel versions across various device manufacturers and model lines. The Qualcomm ADSPRPC driver serves as a crucial interface for audio processing tasks, handling requests from applications to perform audio signal processing operations on the dedicated audio processor.
The technical flaw manifests through improper input validation and memory handling within the ADSPRPC driver's kernel module. When a malicious application attempts to interact with the driver through specific ioctl commands, the kernel module fails to properly validate the input parameters and memory buffers provided by the user-space application. This validation gap allows an attacker to craft specially crafted requests that can manipulate kernel memory structures and execute arbitrary code with the highest privilege level available to the system. The vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking and improper handling of user-supplied data within the driver's command processing functions, creating a direct path for privilege escalation attacks that bypass standard security mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with complete control over the kernel execution environment. Once successfully exploited, the malicious application can manipulate system memory, modify kernel data structures, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the device. The attack requires the initial compromise of a privileged process, which aligns with the high severity rating as it does not allow for arbitrary code execution from unprivileged contexts but rather requires an existing foothold within the system. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where applications with elevated privileges are already present, such as during device administration or system-level operations. The kernel-level execution context provides attackers with access to all system resources, including sensitive data storage, network interfaces, and device hardware components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0465 focus on both immediate patching and operational security measures. Device manufacturers should prioritize rolling out security updates that address the specific input validation issues within the Qualcomm ADSPRPC driver, typically involving the implementation of proper bounds checking and memory validation routines. System administrators and security teams should also implement monitoring solutions to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on unexpected ioctl command sequences targeting the affected driver. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which describes improper validation of array indices, and falls under ATT&CK technique T1068, involving exploitation of remote services for privilege escalation. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict the execution of potentially malicious applications that might attempt to leverage this vulnerability, while maintaining comprehensive system logging to track kernel-level activities that could indicate exploitation attempts.