CVE-2017-0880 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
A denial of service vulnerability in the Android media framework (libskia). Product: Android. Versions: 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2. Android ID A-65646012.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/12/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0880 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the Android media framework, specifically affecting the libskia library component that handles graphics rendering operations. This issue manifests in Android versions 7.0, 7.1.1, and 7.1.2, where the media framework fails to properly validate input data during image processing operations. The vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking and memory management within the skia graphics library, which is responsible for rendering various image formats including png and jpeg files. When malformed or specially crafted image data is processed by the media framework, the system encounters unexpected behavior that leads to application crashes or complete system hangs.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker provides maliciously formatted image files that trigger buffer overflows or memory corruption within the libskia library. The flaw operates at the intersection of graphics processing and memory management, where the skia library fails to properly handle edge cases during image decoding operations. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses insufficient validation of length of input buffers, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. The vulnerability can be triggered through various attack vectors including email attachments, web content, or file downloads that contain specially crafted image files. The root cause lies in the lack of proper input sanitization and memory boundary checks within the graphics rendering pipeline.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to Android devices running the affected versions as it can be exploited remotely through various communication channels. The denial of service condition affects not only individual applications but can potentially impact the entire system stability, leading to complete device unresponsiveness or forced reboots. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to disrupt services, create persistent availability issues, or as part of a larger attack chain that may lead to privilege escalation. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks that exploit the system instability for further compromise. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004, which covers network denial of service, and T1566.001, covering spearphishing attachments that could contain malicious image files.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0880 primarily involve applying the security patches released by Google as part of their regular security updates for Android. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of the Android security patches that address this specific vulnerability in the libskia library. System administrators should implement proactive monitoring for suspicious image file handling and consider network-level filtering of potentially malicious content. The recommended approach includes enabling automatic security updates where possible, implementing application whitelisting for image processing applications, and conducting regular vulnerability assessments of media handling components. Additionally, users should avoid downloading or opening image files from untrusted sources and maintain current security software that can detect and block malicious content. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper input validation and memory management in graphics processing libraries, particularly in mobile operating systems where such components handle diverse and untrusted input data from multiple sources.