CVE-2017-0823 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability in the Android system (rild). Product: Android. Versions: 4.4.4, 5.0.2, 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2. Android ID: A-37896655.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0823 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Android radio interface layer daemon known as rild. This component serves as a crucial bridge between the Android framework and the cellular modem, handling essential communication protocols for mobile network connectivity including voice calls, text messaging, and data services. The vulnerability specifically affects multiple Android versions spanning from 4.4.4 through 7.1.2, indicating a widespread impact across a significant portion of the Android ecosystem. The rild process operates with elevated privileges and maintains access to sensitive cellular communication data, making it a prime target for exploitation. This information disclosure vulnerability allows unauthorized access to confidential data that should remain protected within the system's security boundaries.
The technical implementation of this flaw stems from improper access control mechanisms within the rild daemon's handling of inter-process communication channels. When the rild service processes incoming requests from the Android framework or other system components, it fails to adequately validate the permissions of requesting processes before exposing sensitive information. This weakness creates a pathway for malicious applications or compromised system components to extract confidential data including but not limited to cellular network configuration details, SIM card information, and potentially other sensitive communication parameters. The vulnerability manifests through the manipulation of specific communication protocols that rild uses to interface with the underlying cellular hardware, allowing attackers to bypass normal security boundaries that should protect this sensitive data flow.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0823 extends beyond simple information disclosure, creating potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks within the mobile environment. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can gain access to cellular communication metadata that could be used for location tracking, network reconnaissance, or as a stepping stone for additional attacks. The exposed information may include cellular network identifiers, signal strength data, and potentially SIM card details that could aid in social engineering attacks or network-based exploits. This vulnerability particularly concerns security professionals because it operates at a system level within the Android framework, allowing attackers to access information that should remain isolated from regular application access. The persistence of this vulnerability across multiple Android versions demonstrates the challenges in maintaining secure communication channels between different system layers and highlights the importance of proper access control implementation.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability primarily involve applying the vendor-provided security patches that address the specific access control flaws within the rild daemon. Android security updates released in response to this vulnerability typically include enhanced permission validation mechanisms and stricter access controls for the radio interface layer. System administrators and device manufacturers should prioritize immediate deployment of these patches across affected devices, particularly those in high-security environments or handling sensitive communications. Network operators should also consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual cellular communication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in system design. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be leveraged as part of initial access or reconnaissance phases, potentially enabling further exploitation through techniques such as credential access or defense evasion. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent unauthorized applications from attempting to communicate with the rild service, thereby reducing the attack surface for this particular vulnerability.