CVE-2017-0485 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-33387820.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/05/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0485 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the Android mediaserver component that affects multiple versions 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 mediaserver process operates with elevated privileges and serves as a central hub for media processing activities across the Android operating system, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to disrupt device functionality.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation and memory handling within the mediaserver's media file parsing routines. When processing specially crafted malicious media files, the vulnerability allows an attacker to manipulate the memory structures used by the mediaserver process, leading to unpredictable behavior that can result in system hangs or complete device reboots. This occurs because the vulnerable code fails to properly validate the structure and content of media files before attempting to parse them, creating opportunities for malformed data to trigger buffer overflows or other memory corruption conditions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited remotely through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or file transfers from untrusted sources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it can be leveraged to create persistent denial of service conditions that compromise device availability and user productivity. In mobile environments, this vulnerability can be exploited through malicious media files delivered via email, messaging applications, or web browsing activities, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise and consumer settings where users may unknowingly interact with compromised content. The high severity rating reflects the potential for widespread impact across the Android ecosystem, as the mediaserver component is fundamental to nearly all multimedia functionality on Android devices. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service and demonstrates how media processing components can serve as attack vectors for system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0485 primarily focus on applying the official Android security patches released by Google, which include fixes to the mediaserver component's input validation routines and memory handling mechanisms. System administrators and device manufacturers should prioritize immediate deployment of the security updates to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing network-level controls such as email filtering and web content restrictions can help reduce the risk of users encountering malicious media files. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of input sanitization and proper memory management practices in mobile operating system components, aligning with CWE categories related to buffer overflows and input validation failures. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their mobile device management policies and ensure that all Android devices are kept up to date with the latest security patches to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the future.