CVE-2017-0632 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability in the Qualcomm sound codec driver could enable a local malicious application to access data outside of its permission levels. This issue is rated as Moderate because it first requires compromising a privileged process. Product: Android. Versions: Kernel-3.10. Android ID: A-35392586. References: QC-CR#832915.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/26/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0632 represents a significant information disclosure flaw within the Qualcomm sound codec driver component of Android systems. This issue resides in the kernel version 3.10 and affects the broader Android ecosystem through the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset family. The vulnerability operates at the driver level, specifically targeting the audio codec functionality that manages sound processing operations within mobile devices. The flaw allows for unauthorized data access that extends beyond normal application permission boundaries, creating a potential pathway for privilege escalation and data exfiltration.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper access controls within the Qualcomm sound codec driver implementation. When a malicious application attempts to interact with audio codec resources, the driver fails to properly validate or restrict access to memory regions that should be protected from unauthorized access. This weakness enables a local attacker to potentially read sensitive data from kernel memory spaces that normally would be restricted to privileged system processes. The vulnerability manifests as a classic buffer over-read or improper memory access scenario where the driver does not adequately enforce the principle of least privilege.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a dangerous attack vector that requires an initial compromise of a privileged process to achieve full exploitation. The Moderate severity rating reflects the fact that while direct exploitation is not trivial, the potential for information disclosure remains significant. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to access sensitive audio processing data, potentially including proprietary codec configurations, system memory contents, or other confidential information stored within the audio subsystem. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to potentially enable further exploitation attempts against the device's security model.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses "Information Exposure," and demonstrates characteristics consistent with privilege escalation attacks that follow the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader attack surface assessment for mobile devices running affected kernel versions. The Android ID A-35392586 indicates this was properly tracked and addressed through Android security patches. Mitigation strategies should focus on applying the latest security updates from device manufacturers, implementing application sandboxing measures, and monitoring for unauthorized access patterns within audio processing components. Device security teams should also consider implementing additional runtime protections for kernel drivers and regularly audit system access controls to prevent unauthorized data access through similar pathways.