CVE-2017-0855 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In MPEG4Extractor.cpp, there are several places where functions return early without cleaning up internal buffers which could lead to memory leaks. This could lead to remote denial of service of a critical system process with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Product: Android. Versions: 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0. Android ID: A-64452857.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/28/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0855 resides within the MPEG4Extractor.cpp component of Android's media framework, specifically targeting the handling of multimedia file parsing operations. This flaw manifests in multiple locations where the extraction process terminates prematurely without properly deallocating internal memory buffers, creating a persistent memory leak condition that can accumulate over time and ultimately degrade system performance. The vulnerability affects a broad range of Android versions including 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, and 8.0, indicating a long-standing issue within the media processing pipeline that has remained unaddressed across multiple release cycles.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper resource management practices within the media extraction code where functions containing early return statements fail to execute proper cleanup routines before exiting. This memory leak pattern creates a condition where internal buffers allocated for processing multimedia content are not properly freed, leading to gradual memory consumption that can eventually exhaust available system resources. The flaw operates at the level of the Android media framework's native code execution, specifically within the MPEG4 video format parser which is responsible for extracting and processing multimedia data from various digital media files. According to CWE-401, this represents a classic memory leak vulnerability where allocated resources are not properly deallocated, and the issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for resource exhaustion attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0855 extends beyond simple memory consumption issues to potentially compromise system stability and availability. Since the vulnerability can lead to remote denial of service conditions, malicious actors can exploit this weakness to disrupt critical system processes without requiring any form of user interaction or elevated privileges, making it particularly dangerous in environments where continuous system availability is essential. The attack vector requires only the delivery of a specially crafted multimedia file that, when processed by the affected Android system, triggers the memory leak condition. This capability enables attackers to potentially target mobile devices, servers, or embedded systems running vulnerable Android versions, causing system instability, application crashes, or complete system hangs that can render devices unusable.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve applying the security patches released by Google as part of their regular Android security updates, which typically include proper buffer cleanup routines and memory management fixes within the affected MPEG4Extractor.cpp file. System administrators should prioritize the deployment of these patches across all affected Android devices, particularly those handling multimedia content or operating in security-sensitive environments. Additionally, organizations can implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual memory consumption patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while network administrators can deploy content filtering mechanisms to prevent the delivery of potentially malicious multimedia files to affected systems. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper resource management in native code implementations and underscores the need for comprehensive code review processes that identify potential memory leak conditions in system-level components.