CVE-2017-13249 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In impeg2d_api_set_display_frame of impeg2d_api_main.c, there is an out of bound write due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to remote code execution with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is 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-70399408.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13249 resides within the MPEG-2 decoder component of Android operating systems, specifically in the impeg2d_api_set_display_frame function located in the impeg2d_api_main.c source file. This flaw represents a classic out-of-bounds write vulnerability that occurs when the decoder fails to properly validate input parameters before processing them. The issue manifests when the system attempts to set display frames for MPEG-2 video decoding operations, where insufficient bounds checking allows malicious input data to overwrite adjacent memory regions beyond the intended buffer boundaries.
This vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration classification of CWE-787, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds write conditions that can lead to arbitrary code execution. The flaw is particularly concerning because it requires no additional privileges for exploitation, meaning that a malicious actor could potentially trigger the vulnerability through crafted media content without needing elevated system permissions. 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 it was present across a significant portion of the Android ecosystem during that time period.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it enables remote code execution through the ATT&CK technique of "Exploitation for Client Execution" under the Tactic of Execution. An attacker could craft specially formatted MPEG-2 video files that, when processed by the affected Android device's media decoder, would trigger the buffer overflow condition. The requirement for user interaction suggests that the exploit would need to be initiated through user engagement with the malicious media content, likely through email attachments, web downloads, or other social engineering methods. This user interaction requirement aligns with the ATT&CK framework's classification of this vulnerability as a client-side attack vector that relies on user behavior to achieve successful exploitation.
The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates how multimedia processing components in mobile operating systems can serve as attack surfaces for remote code execution. The absence of additional privileges required for exploitation makes this particularly dangerous as it eliminates the need for privilege escalation attacks that would otherwise be necessary to achieve system compromise. Security researchers have documented similar patterns in Android media processing components where buffer overflows in video and audio decoders have enabled attackers to execute arbitrary code on target devices. The Android ID A-70399408 assigned to this vulnerability indicates it was tracked and addressed by Google's security team as part of their ongoing vulnerability management process. Mitigation strategies typically involve applying security patches that implement proper bounds checking in the affected function, ensuring that all input parameters are validated before memory operations are performed. Organizations should prioritize updating affected Android devices to versions containing the patched decoder implementation, while also implementing network-level controls to prevent the delivery of malicious media content to these devices.