CVE-2017-0751 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Qualcomm QCE driver. Product: Android. Versions: Android kernel. Android ID: A-36591162. References: QC-CR#2045061.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/22/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0751 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the Qualcomm Crypto Engine (QCE) driver component of Android kernel implementations. This vulnerability specifically affects devices utilizing Qualcomm Snapdragon processors and exposes a fundamental security weakness in the cryptographic hardware acceleration subsystem. The QCE driver serves as a critical interface between the Android operating system and Qualcomm's hardware-based encryption capabilities, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to escalate their privileges within the system. The flaw stems from improper input validation and insufficient access controls within the driver's kernel space implementation, creating pathways for malicious code execution with elevated privileges.
Technical analysis reveals that the vulnerability manifests through a buffer overflow condition in the QCE driver's handling of specific ioctl commands. When legitimate user-space applications attempt to communicate with the cryptographic engine through the standard input/output control interface, malformed data structures can trigger memory corruption within the kernel space. This buffer overflow allows attackers to overwrite critical kernel memory locations, potentially enabling arbitrary code execution with the highest system privileges. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the kernel level where the attacker gains complete control over the device's cryptographic operations and underlying system resources. The flaw aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, addressing heap-based buffer overflow scenarios that can lead to privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple privilege elevation, as it fundamentally compromises the security model of Android devices running affected kernel versions. Attackers who successfully exploit this flaw can bypass all standard security mechanisms including SELinux policies, kernel address space layout randomization, and other modern exploit mitigations. Once escalated to kernel privileges, malicious actors gain complete access to encrypted data stored on the device, can modify system binaries, and can potentially establish persistent backdoors. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation through kernel exploits and credential access through system compromise. The attack surface is particularly broad as the QCE driver is utilized by various system components including the Android Keystore system, encryption services, and secure element communications, making exploitation relatively straightforward once initial access is achieved.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0751 require immediate patching of affected Android kernel versions through official security updates from device manufacturers. Qualcomm released patches addressing this vulnerability in their QCE driver implementation, but deployment often lags across different device models and carrier versions. Organizations should implement comprehensive device management policies ensuring all Android devices receive timely security updates, particularly those running kernel versions prior to the patched releases. Additional mitigations include disabling unnecessary cryptographic services, implementing strict application sandboxing, and monitoring for suspicious kernel-level activity. System administrators should also consider deploying intrusion detection systems capable of identifying potential exploitation attempts through anomalous ioctl command sequences. The vulnerability highlights the importance of kernel-level security hardening and proper input validation in hardware abstraction layers, as outlined in security best practices from NIST SP 800-144 and other cybersecurity frameworks. Device manufacturers should implement more rigorous security testing procedures for kernel drivers, particularly those handling cryptographic operations, to prevent similar vulnerabilities from reaching production environments.