CVE-2017-0482 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
A denial of service vulnerability in Mediaserver could enable an attacker to use a specially crafted file to cause a device hang or reboot. This issue is rated as High severity due to the possibility of remote denial of service. Product: Android. Versions: 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1. Android ID: A-33090864.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/05/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0482 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the Android Mediaserver component that affects multiple versions of the operating system including Android 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, and 7.1.1. This vulnerability resides in the media processing subsystem that handles various multimedia file formats and is responsible for decoding and rendering audio and video content on Android devices. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within the media server daemon, which processes multimedia files from untrusted sources such as email attachments, downloaded content, or shared files from network locations. The vulnerability allows an attacker to craft a specially designed media file that, when processed by the Mediaserver, triggers a condition that causes the device to become unresponsive or restart unexpectedly.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through improper handling of malformed media file structures during the decoding process. When the Mediaserver attempts to parse and process a crafted file, it encounters memory corruption or buffer overflow conditions that lead to the daemon crashing or hanging. This behavior manifests as a complete system freeze or unexpected reboot, effectively denying users access to their device functionality. The flaw specifically impacts the media processing pipeline where the server fails to properly validate file headers, metadata, or encoding parameters before attempting to decode content. The vulnerability's classification as High severity stems from its remote exploitability, meaning an attacker can trigger the condition without physical access to the device, potentially through malicious email attachments, web downloads, or file sharing platforms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to Android device users and organizations relying on these platforms for business operations. The remote nature of the attack vector allows for large-scale exploitation through various communication channels without requiring user interaction beyond opening or downloading the malicious file. The impact extends beyond individual user inconvenience to potential business disruption, particularly in enterprise environments where device availability is critical. Security researchers have identified this issue as aligning with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input ranges, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read conditions. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.001, which describes denial of service via resource exhaustion or system instability, and T1203, which involves exploitation of software vulnerabilities for system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0482 focus on immediate patch deployment through official Android security updates, which address the underlying memory handling issues in the Mediaserver component. Organizations should implement proactive security measures including network-based filtering of suspicious media files, email attachment scanning, and user education regarding safe downloading practices. Mobile device management solutions should enforce automatic security patch deployment to ensure all devices receive timely updates. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and monitoring for unusual device behavior patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Device manufacturers and carriers must prioritize rapid security update distribution, as this vulnerability can be exploited to create widespread service disruption across affected Android versions. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation in multimedia processing components and serves as a reminder of the critical security considerations required for media handling in mobile operating systems.