CVE-2017-0732 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
A elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Android media framework (libstagefright). Product: Android. Versions: 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2. Android ID: A-37504237.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0732 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the Android media framework, specifically affecting the libstagefright component that handles multimedia processing. This vulnerability manifests in Android versions 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, and 7.1.2, making it a widespread issue across multiple Android releases. The flaw resides in how the media framework processes certain multimedia files, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to escalate their privileges from a sandboxed application context to full system-level access. The Android ID A-37504237 specifically identifies this issue within Google's internal tracking system, highlighting its significance in the Android security ecosystem.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the media parsing routines of libstagefright. When processing specially crafted multimedia files, the framework fails to properly validate buffer boundaries and memory management, leading to memory corruption conditions. This memory corruption can be exploited through heap-based buffer overflow conditions that allow attackers to manipulate memory pointers and execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The vulnerability specifically relates to how the framework handles certain metadata fields within media containers, particularly those associated with video and audio files that contain malformed or maliciously constructed data structures. The flaw operates at the kernel level within the media framework, bypassing standard application sandboxing mechanisms that normally protect user applications from system-level access.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0732 is severe and far-reaching, as it enables attackers to gain full system-level privileges without requiring user interaction or physical access to the device. This privilege escalation allows malicious actors to access sensitive system resources, modify system files, install persistent malware, and potentially exfiltrate confidential data from the device. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious email attachments, compromised websites, or infected multimedia files downloaded from untrusted sources. Once exploited, the attacker can establish a persistent backdoor on the device, effectively taking complete control of the Android system. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that multimedia files are commonly encountered in daily usage scenarios, making this vulnerability highly exploitable in real-world conditions. This issue directly aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation', demonstrating the comprehensive nature of the threat.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Android versions through official security updates provided by Google and device manufacturers. Organizations and individuals should prioritize updating their Android devices to versions that contain the patched libstagefright implementation, which includes proper input validation and memory boundary checking mechanisms. Network administrators should implement monitoring solutions to detect suspicious multimedia file downloads and potentially malicious content delivery. Device manufacturers should ensure that their security update distribution channels are functioning properly and that users receive timely security patches. Additionally, users should avoid downloading multimedia content from untrusted sources and should maintain awareness of the risks associated with opening email attachments or visiting compromised websites. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of robust input validation in system-level components and underscores the need for continuous security auditing of core Android frameworks. Security professionals should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs. The remediation process should include verification that the patched versions have been properly installed and that no residual vulnerabilities remain in the system configuration.