CVE-2017-0736 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
A denial of service vulnerability in the Android media framework (libavc). Product: Android. Versions: 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2. Android ID: A-38487564.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0736 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the Android media framework, specifically affecting the libavc component responsible for video decoding operations. 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 major Android releases. The flaw resides in how the system processes certain malformed video streams, particularly those involving advanced video coding formats that leverage the H.264/AVC video compression standard. The vulnerability was tracked under Android ID A-38487564, indicating its classification within Google's internal vulnerability tracking system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the media framework's video decoding pipeline. When processing specially crafted video files or streams, the libavc library fails to properly handle malformed data structures, leading to a buffer overflow condition or memory corruption that ultimately results in system instability. The flaw typically occurs during the parsing phase of video frame data, where the decoder encounters unexpected or malformed bitstream data that exceeds expected buffer boundaries. This condition causes the media framework to crash or become unresponsive, effectively rendering the device's multimedia capabilities unusable. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level within the Android media stack, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect system stability and potentially provide a foundation for more sophisticated attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0736 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can render devices completely unusable for multimedia operations and potentially affect overall system responsiveness. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by delivering malicious video content through various channels including email attachments, web downloads, or messaging applications, causing unintended device crashes or reboots. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, indicates that the flaw allows for memory corruption that can be leveraged to cause system instability. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001, which covers network denial of service attacks, as the exploitation can result in complete service disruption. The impact affects not only individual user experience but also enterprise environments where mobile devices may be critical for business operations, potentially leading to productivity losses and increased support overhead.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve applying the security patches released by Google as part of their regular security updates. Organizations should prioritize updating affected Android devices to versions that include the patched libavc library, typically Android 7.1.1 and later releases. System administrators should implement proactive monitoring of device security status and ensure that automatic update mechanisms are enabled to prevent exploitation. Network administrators may need to consider implementing content filtering measures to block potentially malicious video content, though this approach is less effective than proper patch management. The vulnerability's nature suggests that defensive measures should include robust input validation at multiple layers of the media processing pipeline, with particular attention to edge cases in video stream parsing. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing device management policies that enforce security baseline requirements, including mandatory security updates and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in the wild.