CVE-2017-0490 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in Wi-Fi could enable a local malicious application to delete user data. This issue is rated as Moderate because it is a local bypass of user interaction requirements that would normally require either user initiation or user permission. Product: Android. Versions: 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1. Android ID: A-33178389.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/20/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0490 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the Android Wi-Fi subsystem that allows local malicious applications to perform unauthorized deletion of user data. This security weakness resides in the Android operating system's wireless networking components and specifically affects versions 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, and 7.1.1, making it a widespread concern across multiple Android releases. The vulnerability operates through a local bypass mechanism that circumvents normal user interaction requirements that would typically be necessary for such destructive operations, effectively reducing the attack surface to applications already running on the device.
The technical nature of this flaw stems from insufficient access controls and validation mechanisms within the Wi-Fi framework's data handling processes. When a malicious application attempts to delete user data through the Wi-Fi subsystem, the vulnerability allows it to bypass the standard permission checks and user consent requirements that normally protect against unauthorized data manipulation. This weakness falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category of insufficient access control, specifically CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to access resources or perform operations they should not be permitted to execute. The flaw demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege, where applications should not be able to perform operations beyond their intended scope without proper authorization.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers who have already gained local access to a device to escalate their privileges without requiring additional user interaction or explicit permissions. The local nature of the attack means that any application with sufficient privileges or those that have already compromised the device can exploit this weakness to delete user data, potentially causing significant disruption to device functionality and data integrity. The moderate severity rating reflects the fact that while the vulnerability requires local access, it represents a significant escalation from standard application capabilities to system-level destructive operations that could affect user privacy and device usability. This weakness particularly impacts user trust in the Android platform's security model and could potentially be leveraged in combination with other local vulnerabilities to create more sophisticated attack chains.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0490 primarily focus on applying the official Android security patches released by Google to address the specific Wi-Fi subsystem vulnerability. Users should immediately update their devices to the latest Android versions that contain the necessary fixes for this issue. System administrators and security professionals should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify potentially compromised devices and ensure all Android devices within their environment are properly patched. The remediation process involves updating the Android operating system to versions that include the patched Wi-Fi framework components, which typically address the insufficient access control mechanisms that allowed unauthorized data deletion operations. Organizations should also implement comprehensive device management policies that enforce automatic security updates and regularly monitor for similar vulnerabilities that may affect their Android-based environments. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing application whitelisting and monitoring mechanisms to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts of this or similar local privilege escalation vulnerabilities, aligning with the ATT&CK framework's techniques for privilege escalation and defense evasion.