CVE-2017-0609 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-3.10, Kernel-3.18. Android ID: A-35399801. References: QC-CR#1090482.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/26/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0609 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within Qualcomm's sound driver implementation on Android devices. This weakness exists in kernel versions 3.10 and 3.18, making it particularly dangerous as it affects a fundamental system component that handles audio processing and driver interactions. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory management within the audio driver subsystem, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious applications to escalate their privileges from user-level to kernel-level execution. The issue is classified as High severity because while it requires initial compromise of a privileged process, once exploited, it provides complete system control through kernel execution privileges.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a specific flaw in how the Qualcomm sound driver processes certain audio-related system calls and data structures. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious audio input or manipulating audio driver interfaces to trigger a buffer overflow or memory corruption condition. This flaw allows the execution of arbitrary code within the kernel context, bypassing standard security boundaries that normally protect the Android operating system from unauthorized access. The vulnerability specifically impacts the audio subsystem's handling of device ioctls and memory mappings, creating a pathway for privilege escalation that can ultimately lead to complete system compromise.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risk to Android devices running affected kernel versions, as it enables attackers to gain root-level access to the device without requiring physical access or complex exploitation techniques. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation to include complete system control, data exfiltration, and potential persistence mechanisms. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and may also relate to CWE-122 for heap-based buffer overflows. The attack vector typically involves a malicious application that has already gained some level of access to the device, making it particularly concerning for mobile environments where applications have broad access to system resources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0609 should focus on immediate patching of affected kernel versions, with Android vendors releasing security updates that address the specific memory handling issues in the Qualcomm sound driver. Organizations should implement application whitelisting and monitoring for suspicious audio-related system calls that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would place it within the Privilege Escalation tactic, specifically using kernel exploits to gain root access. Device administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as SELinux policies and kernel hardening measures to reduce the attack surface and limit the potential impact of such exploits. Regular security assessments and monitoring for unusual system behavior should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts before they can cause significant damage to the affected systems.