CVE-2017-13212 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Android system (systemui). Product: Android. Versions: 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0. Android ID: A-62187985.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13212 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the Android systemui component that affects multiple versions of the Android operating system including 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, and 8.0. This vulnerability resides in the system user interface service which is responsible for managing various system-level notifications and user interactions. The flaw allows an attacker to escalate their privileges from a standard application context to a system-level privileged context, effectively bypassing Android's security model and gaining unauthorized access to sensitive system resources.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper access control mechanisms within the systemui service implementation. Specifically, the flaw occurs when the systemui component fails to properly validate input parameters or enforce proper privilege boundaries during the processing of certain system-level operations. This allows malicious applications or attackers to manipulate the systemui service in ways that should only be permitted to system-level processes. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-276 as improper privilege management, which directly relates to the lack of proper access control checks within the systemui service.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables attackers to gain system-level privileges without requiring physical access to the device or any form of authentication. Once exploited, the attacker can execute arbitrary code with the highest system privileges, potentially leading to complete device compromise. This includes the ability to read and modify sensitive system files, install malicious applications, access all user data, and even modify system configurations. The vulnerability affects all Android versions mentioned in the CVE description, creating a widespread impact across different device generations and manufacturers.
From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious applications installed on the device or through remote exploitation if the systemui service is exposed to network-based attacks. The exploitation process typically involves crafting specific inputs that trigger the privilege escalation mechanism, leveraging the improper access control checks within the systemui component. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which involves the use of privilege escalation techniques to gain system-level access, and specifically targets the systemui service as a vector for unauthorized privilege elevation.
Organizations and device manufacturers should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches released by Google for the affected Android versions, implementing proper application sandboxing, and conducting regular security audits of system services. Device users should ensure their Android systems are updated to the latest available security patches and should avoid installing applications from untrusted sources. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining proper access control mechanisms within system-level services and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of core Android components. Additionally, implementing runtime monitoring and anomaly detection for systemui service behavior can help identify potential exploitation attempts and provide early warning of security breaches.