CVE-2017-13153 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Android media framework (libaudioservice). Product: Android. Versions: 8.0. Android ID A-65280854.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13153 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the Android media framework, specifically affecting the libaudioservice component in Android 8.0. This issue resides in the system's audio service implementation and demonstrates a significant security weakness that could allow malicious actors to escalate their privileges from a regular application level to system-level access. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and insufficient access controls within the media framework's audio service subsystem, creating a pathway for unauthorized privilege escalation.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient validation of audio service parameters and the lack of proper privilege checks during the processing of audio-related system calls. When applications interact with the audio service through the libaudioservice component, the system fails to adequately verify the authenticity and authorization level of incoming requests. This flaw enables an attacker to craft malicious audio service requests that bypass normal access controls, potentially allowing arbitrary code execution with elevated privileges. The vulnerability manifests through improper handling of audio configuration parameters and service method calls that should normally require system-level permissions but are processed without adequate verification. This weakness aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and specifically relates to inadequate privilege checking mechanisms within system services.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-13153 is severe and far-reaching across the Android ecosystem, particularly affecting devices running Android 8.0 where the vulnerability is present. An attacker exploiting this flaw could gain system-level privileges, enabling them to access sensitive system resources, modify critical system files, install malicious applications, and potentially compromise the entire device. The vulnerability's exploitation could lead to complete device compromise, data theft, and unauthorized access to personal information stored on the device. Given that this affects the core media framework, the impact extends to all applications that utilize audio services, making it particularly dangerous as it could be exploited through seemingly benign media applications. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that could be leveraged for long-term device compromise and data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-13153 should focus on immediate patch deployment and system hardening measures. Android security updates released by Google addressed this vulnerability through enhanced input validation and strengthened access control mechanisms within the libaudioservice component. Organizations should prioritize applying the relevant security patches to all affected Android 8.0 devices to prevent exploitation. Additionally, system administrators should implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual audio service activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. The mitigation approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers privilege escalation through system services, requiring defensive measures that include service hardening and access control reinforcement. Network security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies for audio-related services and monitoring for unauthorized privilege escalation attempts that could indicate exploitation of this vulnerability.