CVE-2017-0504 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in MediaTek components, including the M4U driver, sound driver, touchscreen driver, GPU driver, and Command Queue driver, could enable a local malicious application to execute arbitrary code within the context of the kernel. This issue is rated as Critical due to the possibility of a local permanent device compromise, which may require reflashing the operating system to repair the device. Product: Android. Versions: N/A. Android ID: A-30074628. References: M-ALPS02829371.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2025
This critical elevation of privilege vulnerability exists within MediaTek proprietary drivers that form essential components of Android devices, specifically affecting the Memory Management Unit driver, sound driver, touchscreen driver, graphics processing unit driver, and command queue driver. The flaw allows a local malicious application to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code with kernel-level permissions, fundamentally compromising the device's security architecture. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and improper access controls within these low-level system components, creating a pathway for privilege escalation that bypasses standard Android security mechanisms. The issue represents a severe weakness in the hardware abstraction layer where MediaTek's proprietary drivers fail to properly enforce kernel security boundaries, enabling malicious code to transition from user-space to kernel-space execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with complete control over the device's core functionalities. Once exploited, the malicious application can manipulate system memory, modify kernel modules, access sensitive data, and potentially install persistent backdoors that survive device reboots. The vulnerability's critical rating reflects the permanent nature of the compromise, as attackers can establish persistent control over the device without requiring user interaction beyond the initial exploitation. This type of vulnerability directly maps to CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access controls, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves exploiting legitimate credentials and privileges for system access.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from device manufacturers and system administrators. The most effective approach involves applying official firmware updates from device vendors that contain patched MediaTek driver components, though many older devices may no longer receive support. System administrators should implement application sandboxing and restrict the execution of potentially malicious applications, while also monitoring for suspicious kernel-level activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the inherent risks of proprietary driver implementations in mobile ecosystems, where lack of transparency and third-party security auditing creates blind spots in system security. Organizations should consider implementing additional security layers such as kernel integrity protection mechanisms and runtime application analysis to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The issue highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date system components and the need for comprehensive security testing of hardware drivers, particularly those with direct kernel access capabilities. Device users should be advised to avoid installing untrusted applications and to maintain regular system updates to protect against known vulnerabilities in MediaTek components.