CVE-2017-0878 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
A remote code execution vulnerability in the Android media framework (libhevc). Product: Android. Versions: 8.0. Android ID A-65186291.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0878 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within the Android media framework, specifically affecting the libhevc library responsible for handling high efficiency video coding. This vulnerability manifests in Android 8.0 systems and was tracked under Android ID A-65186291, demonstrating the inherent risks associated with multimedia processing components in mobile operating systems. The issue resides in how the system handles certain HEVC video streams, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on affected devices without physical access or user interaction.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the libhevc library implementation. When processing specially crafted HEVC video files, the framework fails to properly validate buffer boundaries and memory allocations, leading to a heap-based buffer overflow condition. This flaw allows attackers to manipulate memory pointers and overwrite critical system data structures, effectively gaining control over the execution flow of the media processing component. The vulnerability specifically impacts the video decoding pipeline where malformed data can trigger unexpected behavior in memory management operations, creating opportunities for code injection attacks. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and demonstrates the dangerous intersection of multimedia processing and memory safety in mobile platforms.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0878 extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it can enable complete system compromise through a variety of attack vectors. An attacker could deliver malicious HEVC content through email attachments, web downloads, or compromised media streaming services, allowing exploitation to occur without user interaction. The vulnerability's remote nature means that devices can be compromised simply by receiving or viewing the malicious content, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where mobile devices handle sensitive corporate data. This type of vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, Exploitation for Client Execution, and T1059, Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables attackers to establish persistent access and execute malicious commands. The potential for privilege escalation exists since media framework components typically operate with elevated permissions to process multimedia content, creating a pathway to full system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0878 focus primarily on immediate system updates and proactive security measures. Organizations should prioritize deployment of Android security patches released by Google, which address the underlying buffer overflow in the libhevc library. System administrators should implement network-level controls to filter potentially malicious media content, particularly HEVC streams from untrusted sources. Device management solutions should enforce automatic update policies to ensure all endpoints receive security patches promptly. Additional protective measures include disabling unnecessary media processing capabilities, implementing sandboxing for media applications, and monitoring for unusual network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices in multimedia frameworks, emphasizing the need for comprehensive input validation and memory safety checks. Security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments of media processing components and establish incident response procedures specifically for mobile exploitation scenarios, ensuring rapid detection and remediation of similar vulnerabilities in the Android ecosystem.