CVE-2017-0672 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
A denial of service vulnerability in the Android libraries. Product: Android. Versions: 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2. Android ID: A-34778578.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/23/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0672 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Android's core libraries affecting versions 7.0, 7.1.1, and 7.1.2. This issue resides in the system's handling of certain media processing operations and demonstrates the inherent risks present in complex operating system frameworks where multimedia components interact with underlying system resources. The vulnerability was assigned Android ID A-34778578, indicating its classification within Google's internal vulnerability tracking system for Android platforms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the Android media libraries, specifically when processing malformed or crafted media files. When the system attempts to decode or process certain media content, it fails to properly handle edge cases in the data structure, leading to a situation where the processing thread becomes unresponsive or crashes entirely. This flaw operates at the framework level of Android, meaning it affects all applications that utilize the standard media processing APIs, regardless of their specific implementation or security posture. The vulnerability manifests as a complete system hang or application crash when legitimate media processing operations encounter the malformed data structures.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0672 extends beyond simple application-level disruption to potentially compromise the entire device functionality. Since the flaw exists within core system libraries, any application that processes media content could become a vector for exploitation, potentially causing the device to become unresponsive or requiring a complete reboot. This denial of service condition affects user experience significantly, as users may experience unexpected device shutdowns or application failures during routine media consumption activities. The vulnerability particularly impacts devices running Android 7.0 and 7.1.x versions where the media processing stack has not been properly hardened against malformed input sequences.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses issues related to improper validation of input boundaries, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. The flaw represents a classic example of how seemingly benign input processing can become a security risk when proper validation mechanisms are absent. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader mobile device management strategies, particularly in enterprise environments where device stability and uptime are critical. The remediation approach requires immediate patching of affected Android versions through official security updates, as well as implementation of network-level filtering to prevent potentially malicious media content from reaching vulnerable devices. System administrators should also consider monitoring for unusual patterns of device crashes or reboots that might indicate exploitation attempts.