CVE-2017-13233 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In ihevcd_ctb_boundary_strength_pbslice of libhevc, there is possible resource exhaustion. This could lead to a remote temporary denial of service with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is 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-62851602.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13233 resides within the ihevcd_ctb_boundary_strength_pbslice function of the libhevc library, which is part of the Android media processing framework. This issue represents a resource exhaustion flaw that can be exploited to cause temporary denial of service conditions. 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 flaw specifically manifests during the processing of HEVC (H.265) video content, where the boundary strength calculation for picture slices becomes problematic under certain conditions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and resource management within the HEVC decoder implementation. When processing malformed or specially crafted HEVC video streams, the ihevcd_ctb_boundary_strength_pbslice function fails to properly handle resource allocation and memory management, leading to potential exhaustion of system resources. This resource exhaustion occurs during the decoding process when the system attempts to calculate boundary strengths for picture slices, which is a critical component of the HEVC decoding pipeline. The vulnerability is classified as a resource exhaustion issue under CWE-400, which specifically addresses the improper handling of resources that can lead to system instability and denial of service conditions. The flaw requires user interaction for exploitation, typically through the delivery of malicious HEVC video content that triggers the vulnerable code path.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for Android devices as it can be exploited remotely through malicious video content delivery. The attack requires no additional execution privileges beyond normal user access, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by malicious actors who simply need to convince users to view compromised video content. The temporary denial of service impacts the device's ability to process video content normally, potentially disrupting multimedia applications and services that depend on the HEVC decoder. The Android ID A-62851602 indicates this was tracked and addressed by Google's security team, highlighting its severity and the need for prompt patching across affected versions. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001 which covers network denial of service attacks, and more specifically addresses the resource exhaustion category of attacks that can be executed through media processing components.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2017-13233 involves applying the security patches released by Google as part of their regular Android security updates. Organizations and users should ensure their devices are updated to the latest Android versions that contain fixes for this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing network-level controls to filter HEVC content from untrusted sources can provide additional protection. System administrators should monitor for any unusual resource consumption patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation in multimedia processing libraries and highlights the need for comprehensive testing of edge cases in video codec implementations. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies for media processing applications and monitoring for abnormal behavior in video decoding components. This vulnerability underscores the critical nature of securing multimedia processing components as they often execute with elevated privileges and can be leveraged for various attack vectors beyond simple denial of service.