CVE-2017-0607 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Qualcomm sound 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-3.18. Android ID: A-35400551. References: QC-CR#1085928.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/26/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0607 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the Qualcomm sound driver component of Android systems running kernel version 3.18. This vulnerability exists at the intersection of hardware driver security and operating system privilege management, creating a pathway for malicious applications to escalate their privileges from user-level to kernel-level execution. The issue stems from improper input validation and memory handling within the audio driver subsystem, which allows for arbitrary code execution in the most privileged context of the system. The vulnerability is classified as High severity because it requires an initial compromise of a privileged process, but once achieved, it provides complete system control through kernel-level access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a flaw in how the Qualcomm sound driver processes audio-related system calls and data structures. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious audio input or manipulating driver interfaces to trigger memory corruption or privilege escalation conditions. The flaw typically manifests through improper bounds checking or use-after-free conditions within the driver's kernel-space code, allowing an attacker with a malicious application running in a user context to manipulate kernel memory and execute arbitrary code with the highest system privileges. This type of vulnerability directly maps to CWE-119 Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer and CWE-20 Improper Input Validation, both of which are fundamental security weaknesses in software systems.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0607 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally compromises the security model of Android devices running affected kernel versions. Once exploited, the vulnerability enables attackers to bypass all kernel-level security controls, including memory protection mechanisms, privilege separation, and system integrity checks. This allows for complete system compromise including data exfiltration, persistent backdoor installation, and modification of system binaries. The vulnerability affects devices where Qualcomm's proprietary sound driver is implemented, creating a significant attack surface across numerous Android devices from various manufacturers. The exploitation requires a local malicious application that can be delivered through various attack vectors including phishing, compromised applications, or social engineering campaigns that trick users into installing malicious software.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of the Qualcomm sound driver components through official security updates from device manufacturers. Organizations and users should prioritize updating to kernel versions that contain the patched driver implementation, as Qualcomm released security patches addressing the specific memory handling flaws. System administrators should implement monitoring for suspicious driver behavior and kernel-level activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper driver security implementation and the need for comprehensive security testing of hardware drivers within operating systems. Additionally, implementing runtime protection mechanisms such as kernel address space layout randomization and stack canary implementations can provide additional defense in depth measures against similar vulnerabilities. This issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation and T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, highlighting the need for comprehensive endpoint protection and vulnerability management programs.