CVE-2017-13195 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In the ihevcd_parse_sps function of ihevcd_parse_headers.c, several parameter values could be negative which could lead to negative indexes which could lead to an infinite loop. This could lead to a remote denial of service of a critical system process with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Product: Android. Versions: 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1. Android ID: A-65398821.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/29/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13195 resides within the ihevcd_decode library component of Android's multimedia framework, specifically in the ihevcd_parse_sps function located in ihevcd_parse_headers.c. This flaw represents a classic buffer overflow condition that manifests through improper parameter validation during video stream parsing operations. The vulnerability affects multiple Android versions including 5.1.1, 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 issue stems from the function's inability to properly validate input parameters, allowing negative values to propagate through the parsing logic and ultimately result in invalid memory access patterns.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability can be categorized under CWE-129, which describes "Improper Validation of Array Index" and CWE-131, "Incorrect Calculation of Buffer Size." During the parsing of Sequence Parameter Set (SPS) data within H.264 video streams, the ihevcd_parse_sps function processes various parameters that define the video sequence characteristics. When certain parameters receive negative values, the subsequent calculations in the parsing logic create negative array indices or invalid buffer access patterns. These negative values can originate from malformed or maliciously crafted video streams that exploit the lack of proper input validation in the decoder. The vulnerability creates a condition where the parsing loop continues indefinitely due to negative index calculations, consuming system resources and causing the affected process to become unresponsive.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-13195 presents a significant remote denial of service threat to critical system processes. Since no additional execution privileges are required for exploitation and user interaction is not necessary, an attacker can remotely trigger this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted video stream to any Android device running the affected versions. The infinite loop condition effectively consumes CPU cycles and system resources, leading to complete system unresponsiveness or process termination. This vulnerability particularly affects the media decoding subsystem, which is integral to Android's multimedia capabilities and can impact various applications that rely on video processing functionality. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would fall under T1499.004, "Resource Hijacking," as it consumes system resources to cause denial of service conditions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-13195 primarily focus on patching the affected Android versions through official security updates provided by Google. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of Android security patches that address this specific vulnerability in the ihevcd_decode library. Additionally, network-level filtering of video content can serve as a temporary workaround to prevent malicious video streams from reaching vulnerable devices. System administrators should implement monitoring solutions to detect abnormal CPU usage patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in multimedia decoding libraries, as recommended by industry best practices for secure coding. Device manufacturers should also consider implementing runtime protections and memory access controls to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in their multimedia frameworks.