CVE-2017-0468 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
A remote code execution vulnerability in Mediaserver could enable an attacker using a specially crafted file to cause memory corruption during media file and data processing. This issue is rated as Critical due to the possibility of remote code execution within the context of the Mediaserver process. Product: Android. Versions: 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1. Android ID: A-33351708.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0468 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within Android's mediaserver component, which serves as the central processing unit for multimedia operations on the platform. This vulnerability specifically affects Android versions 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, and 7.1.1, making it a widespread concern across multiple generations of the mobile operating system. The mediaserver process operates with elevated privileges and handles all media file processing tasks, including decoding various multimedia formats such as images, audio, and video files, which makes it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise mobile devices at the system level.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within the mediaserver's media processing pipeline. When the system encounters a specially crafted malicious media file, the processing logic fails to properly validate the file structure and content, leading to memory corruption during parsing operations. This memory corruption typically manifests as buffer overflows or heap corruption vulnerabilities that can be exploited to overwrite critical memory locations, including return addresses and function pointers. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, though it more accurately represents a heap-based memory corruption scenario that can be leveraged for arbitrary code execution. Attackers can craft media files with malformed headers, incorrect size fields, or specially constructed data sequences that trigger the vulnerable code path within the mediaserver.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0468 is severe and multifaceted, as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected Android devices without requiring user interaction or device compromise. This means that simply opening a malicious media file, whether through email attachments, messaging applications, web browsing, or file sharing services, can result in complete system compromise. The vulnerability operates within the context of the mediaserver process, which typically runs with system-level privileges, enabling attackers to gain full control over the device and potentially access all stored data, communications, and applications. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter, as successful exploitation allows for arbitrary code execution, and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, since the mediaserver process operates with elevated permissions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Android versions through official security updates provided by Google and device manufacturers. Organizations and individuals should prioritize updating their Android devices to versions that contain the patched mediaserver component, specifically Android 7.1.2 and later releases which contain the necessary security fixes. Network administrators should consider implementing mobile device management policies that enforce automatic security updates and restrict the download and execution of untrusted media files. Additionally, security researchers and device manufacturers should conduct thorough code reviews of media processing libraries to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components, as the root cause involves fundamental issues in how the system handles multimedia file parsing and memory allocation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and memory safety in mobile operating system components, particularly those handling untrusted data from external sources, and serves as a reminder of the need for robust security testing in multimedia processing frameworks.