CVE-2017-0506 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-32276718. References: M-ALPS03006904.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0506 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within MediaTek-based Android devices, specifically affecting core kernel drivers that handle hardware abstraction and device management. This vulnerability resides in the MediaTek driver framework and impacts multiple critical subsystems including the Memory Management Unit driver, sound subsystem, touchscreen interface, graphics processing unit driver, and command queue management components. The flaw allows a local malicious application to escalate its privileges from user-level execution to kernel-level operations, effectively granting it complete control over the device's hardware and software environment. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and privilege checking mechanisms within the MediaTek driver components, creating a pathway for unauthorized code execution with the highest system privileges.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of driver interfaces that lack proper access controls and validation checks. When a malicious application attempts to interact with these kernel drivers, it can exploit memory corruption or privilege escalation flaws to execute arbitrary code within kernel context. This allows the attacker to bypass standard security mechanisms such as SELinux policies, user-space restrictions, and other Android security controls that normally prevent unauthorized system-level access. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables persistent compromise of the device through kernel-level modifications that can survive reboots and are difficult to detect through conventional security scanning methods. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-276: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resources, as it involves improper privilege management in kernel-level components that should only be accessible by trusted system processes.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0506 is severe and potentially permanent, as the vulnerability can be exploited to achieve complete device compromise without requiring external network access or user interaction. Once exploited, the malicious code can modify critical system files, install rootkits, disable security features, and maintain persistent access to the device. The affected drivers are fundamental to device operation, making the compromise particularly devastating as it affects core functionality including display output, audio processing, input handling, and graphics rendering. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068: Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to gain elevated privileges. The vulnerability's critical rating reflects the difficulty of remediation, as kernel-level compromises often require complete system reinstallation or reflashing of the operating system to ensure complete removal of malicious modifications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected MediaTek driver components and implementation of proper privilege controls within the Android security framework. Device manufacturers should prioritize rolling out security updates that address the specific driver flaws in the MediaTek components, particularly focusing on the M4U driver and related kernel interfaces. System administrators and security professionals should implement runtime monitoring to detect anomalous kernel-level activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure driver development practices and proper input validation in kernel space components. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security layers such as kernel integrity protection mechanisms and runtime application control to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability highlights the critical need for comprehensive security testing of driver components and the implementation of defense-in-depth strategies to protect against kernel-level attacks that can compromise entire device ecosystems.