CVE-2017-0570 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Broadcom Wi-Fi 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-34199963. References: B-RB#110688.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2022
This vulnerability resides within the Broadcom Wi-Fi driver component of Android operating systems, specifically affecting kernel versions 3.10 and 3.18. The issue represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw that allows a local malicious application to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges. The vulnerability requires an initial compromise of a privileged process as a prerequisite, making it a sophisticated attack vector that leverages existing system access to escalate privileges further. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of kernel-level privilege escalation, where an attacker with limited user-level access can gain unauthorized administrative control over the system. The Broadcom Wi-Fi driver serves as a critical interface between wireless hardware and the Android kernel, making it a prime target for attackers seeking persistent system control.
The technical flaw stems from improper input validation and memory handling within the Wi-Fi driver's kernel space implementation. When processing certain Wi-Fi related data structures or commands, the driver fails to properly validate user-supplied parameters before using them in kernel memory operations. This validation gap creates a potential for memory corruption or arbitrary code execution through crafted inputs that can be fed to the driver via legitimate system interfaces. The vulnerability manifests when the kernel processes Wi-Fi management frames or configuration parameters that are improperly sanitized, allowing malicious data to be interpreted as executable code within kernel context. This flaw directly relates to common weaknesses identified in the CWE database under categories such as CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities in kernel space.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it enables attackers to achieve complete system compromise once they have gained access to a privileged process. The kernel-level execution context provides attackers with unrestricted access to all system resources, including the ability to modify or extract sensitive data, install persistent backdoors, and bypass security controls. This vulnerability undermines the fundamental security model of Android systems by allowing privilege escalation that can persist across reboots and system updates. Attackers can leverage this flaw to maintain long-term access to devices, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where device security is paramount. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for lateral movement within networks, as compromised devices can serve as launch points for attacking other systems.
Mitigation strategies should focus on both immediate patching and architectural defenses. Android security updates addressing this vulnerability should be deployed immediately across affected systems, with particular attention to devices running kernel versions 3.10 and 3.18. Organizations should implement runtime monitoring to detect anomalous kernel activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. The principle of least privilege should be enforced more rigorously, limiting the capabilities of privileged processes to reduce the attack surface. Network segmentation and endpoint detection systems can help identify compromised devices before attackers can establish persistent access. Security hardening measures including kernel address space layout randomization and stack canaries should be enabled to make exploitation more difficult. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of comprehensive security testing for kernel drivers and highlights the need for continuous monitoring of system integrity. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting kernel-level access to achieve persistent system control. Organizations must also consider the broader implications of such vulnerabilities in their security posture, as they represent a fundamental breach in system trust boundaries and require comprehensive incident response planning to address potential exploitation.