CVE-2017-13268 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
A information disclosure vulnerability in the Android system (bluetooth). 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-67058064.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Android Bluetooth implementation that affects multiple versions of the operating system from 5.1.1 through 8.1. The issue stems from improper handling of Bluetooth connection states and authentication processes, creating potential pathways for unauthorized data access. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200, which specifically addresses information exposure, making it a significant concern for mobile device security. The Android ID A-67058064 indicates this was tracked as a system-level flaw requiring kernel-level patches to address properly.
The technical implementation flaw occurs within the Bluetooth subsystem where the system fails to properly validate connection states during the authentication handshake process. When a device attempts to establish or maintain a Bluetooth connection, the system does not adequately verify the security context of the connection before allowing access to sensitive system information. This allows malicious actors to potentially exploit the gap in authentication verification to extract information from the device's memory or connection logs. The vulnerability specifically impacts the Bluetooth stack's handling of connection state transitions and authentication tokens, creating a window where unauthorized access can occur.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can enable attackers to gain insights into the device's Bluetooth configuration, connection history, and potentially sensitive communication patterns. An attacker with physical access to a device or those capable of performing man-in-the-middle attacks could leverage this flaw to extract connection metadata, device pairing information, or other sensitive data that would normally be protected by proper Bluetooth security protocols. This information disclosure could subsequently be used to facilitate more sophisticated attacks or to build targeted exploitation strategies against the device or its connected network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate system updates from device manufacturers, as the flaw exists at the core Bluetooth implementation level and cannot be addressed through application-level patches alone. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management protocols to ensure all affected Android devices receive the necessary security updates. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring solutions to detect anomalous Bluetooth activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique through system information discovery, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where device security is paramount. Device manufacturers should also implement enhanced Bluetooth connection state validation and authentication verification mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future implementations.