CVE-2017-0547 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability in libmedia in Mediaserver could enable a local malicious application to access data outside of its permission levels. This issue is rated as High because it is a general bypass for operating system protections that isolate application data from other applications. Product: Android. Versions: 4.4.4, 5.0.2, 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1. Android ID: A-33861560.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2017-0547 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Android mediaserver component that undermines fundamental security principles of application isolation. This issue resides in the libmedia library which serves as a core interface for media processing operations within the Android operating system. The vulnerability enables local malicious applications to bypass normal access controls and potentially access data that should be restricted to specific application permissions or system-level resources. The flaw specifically targets the mediaserver daemon which handles multimedia operations including audio and video processing, making it a prime target for exploitation due to its privileged position within the Android security architecture.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper validation of data access permissions within the media server's processing pipeline. When applications interact with media services through the libmedia library, the system should enforce strict boundaries between application contexts to prevent unauthorized data access. However, this vulnerability creates a pathway where a malicious local application can manipulate the mediaserver to access memory regions or data structures that contain information belonging to other applications or system processes. This bypass mechanism operates at the kernel level where the separation of privileges should normally prevent such cross-application data leakage. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200 as an information disclosure flaw that allows unauthorized access to sensitive information, representing a fundamental breakdown in Android's application sandboxing mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides a persistent attack vector that can be exploited by any locally installed malicious application without requiring additional privileges or user interaction. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive information from other applications including personal data, credentials, communication content, and proprietary application data. The high severity rating reflects the fact that this vulnerability completely undermines the core security model of Android's application isolation system, potentially allowing attackers to access data that should remain protected by the operating system's permission model. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within the system's core services rather than requiring exploitation of user-facing applications, making detection and prevention more challenging.
From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which involves executing malicious code through legitimate system processes, and T1003 which focuses on os credential dumping through system service manipulation. The mediaserver process represents a high-value target because it runs with elevated privileges and maintains access to various multimedia data streams that often contain sensitive information. Security researchers have documented similar patterns where media processing components become attack vectors due to their complex data handling requirements and privileged execution contexts. The vulnerability affects multiple Android versions including 4.4.4 through 7.1.1, indicating it was a persistent flaw that required ongoing patching across the Android ecosystem. Organizations and users should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying security patches, monitoring for suspicious mediaserver activity, and ensuring proper application permissions are enforced to prevent exploitation of this information disclosure vulnerability.