CVE-2017-0524 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Synaptics touchscreen driver could enable a local malicious application to execute arbitrary code within the context of the kernel. This issue is rated as High because it first requires compromising a privileged process. Product: Android. Versions: Kernel-3.10, Kernel-3.18. Android ID: A-33002026.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0524 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the Synaptics touchscreen driver component of Android operating systems. This security weakness exists in kernel versions 3.10 and 3.18, affecting the core system architecture that manages hardware interactions. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory handling within the driver's kernel-space implementation, creating a pathway for malicious code execution with elevated privileges. The issue is classified as High severity because it requires initial compromise of a privileged process, but once achieved, it provides attackers with kernel-level access that can completely compromise system integrity.
The technical flaw manifests through insufficient bounds checking and improper memory management in the Synaptics touchscreen driver's kernel module. When the driver processes input data from touchscreen events, it fails to properly validate the size and format of incoming data structures, allowing for buffer overflow conditions. This vulnerability specifically affects the communication channel between user-space applications and the kernel driver, where malicious applications can craft specially crafted input sequences that trigger the buffer overflow. The flaw maps to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities. These weaknesses create a direct pathway for privilege escalation as the kernel driver operates with elevated privileges and processes untrusted input from user-space applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with complete control over the kernel execution environment. Once a malicious application successfully exploits this vulnerability, it can execute arbitrary code with the highest system privileges, effectively bypassing all Android security mechanisms including SELinux policies and application sandboxing. This allows for complete system compromise including root access, data exfiltration, persistent backdoor installation, and modification of critical system files. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious applications installed on the device or through compromised web-based attack surfaces that can interact with the touchscreen driver. The attack surface is particularly concerning because touchscreen drivers are frequently accessed by multiple applications and system services, making exploitation more likely and harder to prevent.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0524 should focus on both immediate patching and broader system hardening approaches. Android security patches released by Google address this vulnerability through updated kernel components and enhanced input validation within the Synaptics driver implementation. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management protocols to ensure timely deployment of security updates across all affected devices. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing runtime monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous behavior patterns consistent with kernel exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure driver development practices and proper input validation in kernel modules, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers exploit for privilege escalation. Network segmentation and application control measures can provide additional defense-in-depth layers, while regular security assessments should verify that no other similar vulnerabilities exist in the system's kernel components. Device manufacturers should also consider implementing kernel address space layout randomization and other exploit mitigation techniques to reduce the effectiveness of potential exploitation attempts.