CVE-2017-0804 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
A elevation of privilege vulnerability in the MediaTek mmc driver. Product: Android. Versions: Android kernel. Android ID: A-36274676. References: M-ALPS03361487.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0804 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the MediaTek multimedia card interface mmc driver component of the Android kernel ecosystem. This security weakness resides in the kernel-level driver responsible for managing memory card operations and data transfer between the system and storage devices. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and insufficient access controls within the driver's implementation, creating a pathway for malicious actors to escalate their privileges from unprivileged user contexts to kernel-level administrative access.
The technical flaw manifests through a buffer overflow condition that occurs when processing specific mmc commands issued by user-space applications. The MediaTek mmc driver fails to properly validate the length and boundaries of incoming data structures, allowing attackers to overwrite critical kernel memory regions. This buffer overflow vulnerability specifically affects the driver's handling of card identification and configuration data, where insufficient bounds checking permits arbitrary memory writes. The flaw aligns with CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions as critical security weaknesses that can lead to arbitrary code execution and complete system compromise. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges initially, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged to gain root access to the entire Android system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of Android devices running affected kernel versions. Once successfully exploited, attackers can execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, enabling them to modify system files, install malicious applications, access encrypted data, and potentially create persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects all Android devices utilizing MediaTek chipsets, particularly those with kernel versions prior to the security patch release. This widespread impact makes it a prime target for advanced persistent threats and mobile malware authors seeking to gain complete control over affected devices. The attack surface is further expanded by the fact that the vulnerability can be triggered through legitimate user-space applications that interact with memory card operations, making detection and prevention more challenging.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0804 require immediate implementation of security patches provided by device manufacturers and Google through their regular security updates. The primary remediation involves updating the MediaTek mmc driver with proper bounds checking and input validation mechanisms to prevent the buffer overflow condition. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management protocols to ensure timely deployment of security fixes across all affected Android devices within their environments. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing runtime monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous memory access patterns or privilege escalation attempts that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of kernel-level security controls and proper input validation in embedded systems, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1068 which focuses on local privilege escalation through kernel exploits. Device manufacturers must also enhance their security testing procedures to identify similar vulnerabilities in other kernel drivers and subsystems that could provide similar attack vectors for privilege escalation.