CVE-2017-0575 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Qualcomm 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-32658595. References: QC-CR#1103099.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0575 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within Qualcomm's Wi-Fi driver implementation that operates at the kernel level. This security weakness specifically affects Android devices running kernel versions 3.10 and 3.18, creating a pathway for malicious applications to gain unauthorized access to privileged system resources. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory handling within the wireless networking subsystem, allowing a local attacker with a compromised privileged process to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary code with kernel-level permissions. The issue is categorized as High severity due to the significant privilege escalation potential it provides, requiring only that an attacker first compromise a process with elevated privileges to exploit the underlying flaw.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of specific driver interfaces that handle Wi-Fi network operations and device communications. When a malicious application attempts to interact with the Qualcomm Wi-Fi driver through improperly validated input parameters, the kernel's memory management routines fail to properly validate or sanitize the data structures, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code. This flaw operates at the kernel level, meaning that successful exploitation would grant the attacker complete control over the device's wireless networking capabilities and potentially access to all system resources. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple network operations as it fundamentally compromises the kernel's integrity and the system's overall security posture.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for Android devices that rely on Qualcomm's Wi-Fi drivers, particularly those running the affected kernel versions. The requirement for an initial compromise of a privileged process means that attackers would need to first gain access to a system component with elevated permissions, but once achieved, the exploitation chain becomes relatively straightforward. This vulnerability affects devices where Qualcomm's proprietary Wi-Fi driver implementation is used, which includes a substantial portion of Android smartphones and tablets. The attack vector typically involves a malicious application that has already gained some level of system access, such as through a previously exploited vulnerability or a compromised application installation. The exploitation process would likely involve crafting specific network packets or driver interface calls that trigger the memory corruption, leading to kernel code execution.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0575 focus on both immediate patching and broader system hardening approaches. The primary solution involves updating the Android kernel to versions that include fixes for the Qualcomm Wi-Fi driver vulnerability, with patches specifically addressing the memory handling and input validation flaws. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected devices receive the necessary updates promptly. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing runtime protections such as kernel address space layout randomization and stack canary implementations to make exploitation more difficult. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and may also relate to CWE-122, heap-based buffer overflow, depending on the specific memory corruption mechanism. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability would map to privilege escalation techniques, specifically T1068, which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation' and T1059, 'Command and Scripting Interpreter', as attackers would need to leverage the elevated privileges to execute malicious commands within the kernel context. Device manufacturers and security teams should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect unusual Wi-Fi driver behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts.