CVE-2017-13180 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In the onQueueFilled function of SoftAVCDec, there is a possible out-of-bounds write due to a use after free if a bad header causes the decoder to get caught in a loop while another thread frees the memory it's accessing. This could lead to a local elevation of privilege enabling code execution as a privileged process with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Product: Android. Versions: 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1. Android ID: A-66969349.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/28/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13180 resides within the SoftAVCDec component of Android's media framework, specifically in the onQueueFilled function where a critical use-after-free condition can occur. This flaw represents a sophisticated memory corruption vulnerability that exploits race conditions between thread operations during media decoding processes. The vulnerability manifests when a malformed media header triggers an infinite loop within the decoder while another thread simultaneously frees the memory structures the first thread is attempting to access, creating a dangerous temporal window where memory access becomes invalid yet still executable.
This particular flaw falls under CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free vulnerabilities, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through memory corruption exploits. The vulnerability affects multiple Android versions including 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, and 8.1, indicating a widespread impact across the Android ecosystem. The exploitation potential is particularly concerning as it enables local elevation of privilege without requiring user interaction, making it a highly dangerous vulnerability for attackers who can leverage it to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges as a privileged process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it creates a pathway for attackers to gain system-level privileges without additional execution privileges. The flaw specifically targets the media decoding subsystem, which is frequently used by applications and system components, increasing the attack surface and potential exploitation vectors. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability allows for code execution with the privileges of the privileged process, potentially enabling attackers to modify system files, install malicious applications, or establish persistent backdoors within the Android environment. The absence of user interaction requirements makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous for automated exploitation campaigns and increases the likelihood of widespread compromise across affected Android devices.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-13180 should focus on immediate patch deployment through official Android security updates, as well as implementing additional runtime protections such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries. Organizations should also consider network-level monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and implement application whitelisting policies to limit the execution of potentially malicious code within the media processing framework. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper memory management in multimedia processing components and highlights the need for comprehensive testing of edge cases in media decoding scenarios to prevent similar race condition vulnerabilities from emerging in future implementations.