CVE-2017-0691 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
A denial of service vulnerability in the Android media framework. Product: Android. Versions: 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2. Android ID: A-36724453.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0691 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the Android media framework affecting versions 7.0, 7.1.1, and 7.1.2. This issue resides in the system's media processing capabilities and demonstrates how multimedia components can be exploited to disrupt normal device operations. The vulnerability specifically impacts the Android media framework's handling of malformed media files or streams, creating a scenario where legitimate media processing operations can be terminated prematurely due to improper error handling mechanisms. Such flaws are particularly concerning in mobile environments where media processing is frequently utilized across various applications and system services.
Technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted media content that triggers improper memory management or buffer handling within the media framework components. The flaw manifests when the system attempts to process maliciously formatted audio or video files, causing the media framework to enter an unstable state that results in application crashes or complete system hang conditions. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios. The underlying mechanism involves insufficient validation of input data streams before processing, allowing malformed data to propagate through the media pipeline and ultimately cause system instability.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0691 extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially compromise the entire device functionality. When exploited, this vulnerability can cause the media framework to become unresponsive, preventing users from accessing media playback capabilities or using applications that depend on media processing services. In a broader context, this vulnerability can be leveraged by attackers to create persistent denial of service conditions that may require device reboot to resolve. The attack vector typically involves delivery of malicious media content through various channels including email attachments, web downloads, or malicious applications that utilize the media framework for processing. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001, which covers network denial of service attacks, as the impact can effectively render system services unavailable to legitimate users.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate system updates and patches provided by Google as part of their regular security releases. Organizations and users should prioritize installation of the Android security patch released in September 2017, which addresses the specific buffer handling issues within the media framework. Additionally, implementing network-level filtering to block suspicious media content and disabling automatic media processing for untrusted sources can provide additional protective layers. Security monitoring should focus on identifying unusual patterns of media processing failures or system crashes that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation and proper error handling in multimedia frameworks, as highlighted by industry best practices in secure software development. System administrators should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict media processing to known good applications, reducing the attack surface available to potential exploiters.