CVE-2017-13152 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability in the Android media framework (libmedia drm). Product: Android. Versions: 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0. Android ID A-62872384.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/12/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13152 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Android media framework, specifically affecting the libmedia drm component. This vulnerability resides in the Android operating system's handling of digital rights management operations and exposes sensitive information through improper error handling mechanisms. The issue manifests across multiple Android versions including 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, and 8.0, indicating a widespread impact across the Android ecosystem. The vulnerability was tracked under Android ID A-62872384, which signifies its classification within Google's internal vulnerability tracking system for Android security issues.
The technical root cause of this information disclosure vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the media framework's drm subsystem. When processing certain malformed or unexpected input data, the system fails to properly sanitize error messages or return values that contain sensitive information about the underlying system state, memory contents, or internal data structures. This improper handling allows attackers to potentially extract confidential data through carefully crafted media files or drm operations that trigger the vulnerable code path. The flaw operates at the system level within the media framework, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited without requiring elevated privileges or user interaction.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the leaked data could potentially provide attackers with insights into the target system's internal workings, memory layout, or security mechanisms. An attacker could leverage this information to craft more sophisticated attacks targeting other system components or to bypass additional security controls. The vulnerability affects the core media processing capabilities of Android devices, meaning it could be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious media files, email attachments, or web content that triggers the affected drm processing code. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in mobile environments where users frequently interact with untrusted media content.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-13152 should prioritize the immediate deployment of security patches provided by Google through the Android security bulletin updates. Organizations and users must ensure their Android devices are updated to versions containing the fixed implementation of the libmedia drm component. Additional defensive measures include implementing network-level filtering to prevent the delivery of potentially malicious media content, particularly in enterprise environments where device management policies can restrict media processing capabilities. Security monitoring should focus on detecting anomalous media processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which categorizes information disclosure flaws, and could potentially be leveraged in conjunction with other attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the information gathering and privilege escalation domains. Device manufacturers should also consider implementing additional input validation and error handling mechanisms in their custom media framework implementations to prevent similar issues from occurring in modified Android builds.