CVE-2017-11058 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, QRD Android, with all Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel, while processing a specially crafted cfg80211 vendor command, a buffer over-read can occur.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11058 represents a critical buffer over-read flaw within the Linux kernel implementation of wireless networking components in Android devices. This issue affects multiple Android variants including MSM (Mobile Station Modem) platforms, Firefox OS for MSM, and QRD Android environments. The vulnerability manifests specifically during the processing of specially crafted cfg80211 vendor commands, which are part of the Linux wireless subsystem used for managing wireless network interfaces. The flaw resides in how the kernel handles vendor-specific wireless commands, particularly when these commands contain malformed data structures that exceed expected buffer boundaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the wireless subsystem's command processing logic. When a maliciously crafted cfg80211 vendor command is received, the kernel fails to properly bounds-check the incoming data before attempting to read from memory locations beyond the allocated buffer space. This over-read condition can result in the kernel accessing arbitrary memory locations, potentially exposing sensitive kernel data or causing system instability. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-125 as an out-of-bounds read, which is a common class of memory safety issues that can lead to information disclosure or privilege escalation depending on the context of the memory access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes or instability, as it provides potential attack vectors for privilege escalation and information disclosure. Attackers could exploit this flaw by crafting malicious wireless network packets or vendor commands that trigger the buffer over-read condition. In the context of the ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and information gathering through kernel-level memory access. The affected platforms include various Android releases from the Code Aurora Forum (CAF) that utilize the Linux kernel, making it a widespread concern across multiple device manufacturers and firmware implementations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because wireless networking components typically operate with elevated privileges, potentially allowing attackers to gain deeper system access or extract confidential information from kernel memory spaces.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-11058 require immediate patching of affected kernel versions through official security updates from device manufacturers and the Linux kernel maintainers. Organizations should implement network monitoring to detect and block suspicious wireless vendor commands that may be attempting to exploit this vulnerability. Device manufacturers should also consider implementing additional input validation layers within their wireless subsystem implementations and conduct thorough security testing of wireless command processing functions. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper bounds checking in kernel-level networking code and serves as a reminder of the critical security implications of wireless subsystem implementations. Regular security assessments of wireless networking components, particularly those handling vendor-specific commands, should be conducted to identify similar buffer over-read conditions that could be exploited by adversaries. Additionally, implementing kernel memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries and address space layout randomization can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against exploitation attempts targeting this class of vulnerability.