CVE-2017-13150 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability in the Android media framework (n/a). Product: Android. Versions: 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0. Android ID A-38328132.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/12/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13150 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Android media framework that affects multiple versions of the operating system including android 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, and 8.0. This issue resides in the underlying media processing components that handle various multimedia formats and codecs, creating a potential attack surface for adversaries seeking to extract sensitive data from affected devices. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of media file processing within the system's native libraries, specifically in how the framework manages memory allocation and data structures during media decoding operations.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves a memory corruption issue that occurs when processing malformed or specially crafted media files within the android media framework. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by delivering malicious media content that triggers an out-of-bounds read condition during the decoding process, allowing unauthorized access to memory locations that should remain protected. This information disclosure occurs through the improper validation of input parameters and insufficient bounds checking within the media processing pipeline. The vulnerability manifests as a failure to properly sanitize media file headers and metadata, enabling attackers to read beyond allocated memory boundaries and potentially access sensitive system information, including cryptographic keys, user credentials, or other confidential data stored in adjacent memory regions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can serve as a foundational weakness for more sophisticated attacks within the android ecosystem. The flaw can be leveraged to bypass security mechanisms that rely on proper memory management and data isolation, potentially enabling privilege escalation or lateral movement within the device's security boundaries. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability aligns with common attack patterns documented in the attack technique framework, particularly those involving memory corruption and information disclosure. The affected components operate at a low system level within the android framework, making exploitation relatively straightforward for attackers who can deliver malicious media content through common attack vectors such as email attachments, messaging applications, or compromised websites.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected android versions through official security updates provided by google and device manufacturers. Organizations should implement network-based controls to filter suspicious media content and deploy mobile device management solutions that can enforce security policies and monitor for potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory safety practices within system-level components, aligning with security standards such as those outlined in the common weakness enumeration framework where this issue would be categorized as a memory safety weakness. Device administrators should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies and restricting user permissions for media processing applications to minimize potential attack surface exposure. Regular security assessments of media processing components and continuous monitoring for anomalous memory access patterns can help detect exploitation attempts before they result in successful information disclosure events.