CVE-2017-10904 in Qt
Summary
by MITRE
Qt for Android prior to 5.9.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary OS commands via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-10904 affects Qt for Android versions prior to 5.9.0, representing a critical remote code execution flaw that enables attackers to execute arbitrary operating system commands on affected devices. This vulnerability resides within the Qt framework's Android implementation and demonstrates the inherent risks associated with cross-platform development environments that interface directly with underlying operating system functionalities. The unspecified vectors suggest that the flaw could manifest through multiple attack surfaces within the Qt Android runtime environment, potentially including malicious input processing, network communication handling, or file system operations that are not explicitly detailed in the initial vulnerability report.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the Qt Android components, allowing malicious actors to craft specially crafted inputs that bypass normal execution boundaries and escalate privileges to full system command execution. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-78, which describes improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and represents a classic path to privilege escalation through command injection attacks. The flaw likely exists in how the Qt framework processes user-supplied data or network inputs when executing on Android platforms, where the framework fails to properly separate command execution contexts from user input contexts.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations and end-users who deploy Qt-based Android applications, particularly those handling user input or network communications. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain complete control over affected devices, potentially leading to data exfiltration, persistent backdoor installation, or further network reconnaissance activities. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation could occur without physical access to the device, making it particularly dangerous for mobile applications that process external data or communicate with untrusted networks. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically targeting OS command execution capabilities.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Qt 5.9.0 or later versions to remediate this vulnerability, as earlier versions contain known security gaps that could be exploited by threat actors. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to limit exposure, deploying application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious network traffic, and conducting thorough code reviews to identify potential input handling vulnerabilities within Qt-based applications. Security monitoring should focus on unusual command execution patterns and unexpected network communications that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date third-party libraries and frameworks, particularly in mobile development environments where the attack surface is inherently expanded by the platform's integration with underlying operating system functionalities. Regular security assessments of mobile applications should include comprehensive reviews of framework dependencies and their known vulnerabilities to prevent similar issues from compromising application security.