CVE-2017-0531 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability in the Qualcomm Wi-Fi driver could enable a local malicious application to access data outside of its permission levels. This issue is rated as Moderate because it first requires compromising a privileged process. Product: Android. Versions: Kernel-3.10, Kernel-3.18. Android ID: A-32877245. References: QC-CR#1087469.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2017-0531 represents a significant information disclosure flaw within Qualcomm's Wi-Fi driver implementation that affects Android devices running kernel versions 3.10 and 3.18. This security weakness resides in the wireless networking subsystem and demonstrates how driver-level vulnerabilities can create pathways for unauthorized data access. The issue specifically impacts the privilege separation mechanisms that should normally prevent applications from accessing restricted system resources, creating a potential vector for malicious actors to escalate their access privileges within the device's security model.
The technical flaw manifests through improper access controls within the Qualcomm Wi-Fi driver code, where insufficient validation of user permissions allows a local malicious application to bypass normal security boundaries. This vulnerability operates at the kernel level within the Android operating system, specifically targeting the wireless networking components that manage Wi-Fi connectivity. The flaw enables an attacker who has already compromised a privileged process to potentially access data that should normally be restricted to higher-privilege processes or system components. This represents a classic case of insufficient privilege checking in kernel-space drivers, where the driver fails to properly validate the requesting process's permissions before granting access to sensitive data structures or memory regions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a dangerous escalation path for attackers who have already gained some level of system access. The moderate severity rating reflects the requirement for initial compromise of a privileged process, but this initial foothold significantly reduces the overall attack surface complexity. Once the attacker has achieved this initial compromise, the vulnerability allows them to access sensitive information that could include network credentials, personal data, or other confidential system information. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to potentially enabling further exploitation or lateral movement within the device's security boundaries. This vulnerability particularly affects devices that rely on Qualcomm's proprietary Wi-Fi driver implementations, making it relevant to a substantial portion of Android devices released during the affected time period.
The security implications of CVE-2017-0531 align with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control in software systems, and demonstrates how driver-level flaws can undermine the fundamental security model of mobile operating systems. This vulnerability also relates to ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through exploitation of system vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management strategies to address this vulnerability, as it represents a persistent risk that could be exploited by sophisticated attackers. The recommended mitigations include applying the latest security patches from Qualcomm and Android, implementing proper application sandboxing, and monitoring for suspicious network activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for potential exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability.