CVE-2017-0863 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Upstream kernel video driver. Product: Android. Versions: Android kernel. Android ID: A-37950620.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0863 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the Android kernel's upstream video driver component. This vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel subsystem that manages graphics and video processing capabilities on Android devices, specifically affecting the video driver implementation that handles hardware acceleration for multimedia operations. The flaw stems from improper input validation and insufficient access controls within the kernel's video processing modules, creating a pathway for malicious actors to escalate their privileges from standard user-level processes to kernel-level execution.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in a buffer overflow condition that occurs when processing malformed video frames or graphics commands through the kernel's video driver interface. When the system processes specially crafted video data, the driver fails to properly validate the size and content of incoming data structures, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities that can lead to privilege escalation. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level where the principle of least privilege is fundamentally compromised, allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to system resources and potentially full device control.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0863 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with complete control over the device's kernel space operations. This vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious media files, compromised applications, or even remote exploitation via network-based attacks that leverage the video processing capabilities. Once successfully exploited, the attacker gains the ability to modify system files, install malicious software, access sensitive user data, and potentially create persistent backdoors on the device. The vulnerability affects all Android devices running kernel versions that include the affected video driver implementation, making it particularly dangerous as it impacts a broad range of devices from different manufacturers and model years. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1068, which describes exploit for privilege escalation, and T1059, covering command and scripting interpreters that could be used to maintain access after initial exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0863 require immediate patching of affected kernel versions through Android security updates, as the vulnerability cannot be effectively addressed through configuration changes alone due to its kernel-level nature. Device manufacturers must ensure timely deployment of security patches that include proper input validation, memory bounds checking, and access control mechanisms within the video driver subsystem. Organizations should implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain up-to-date threat intelligence on malicious media files that could trigger this vulnerability. Additionally, security researchers and device manufacturers should conduct thorough code reviews of kernel modules, particularly focusing on buffer management and privilege validation routines. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of kernel security in mobile platforms and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of hardware abstraction layers and device drivers that interface with privileged system components.