CVE-2017-13279 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In M3UParser::parse of M3UParser.cpp, there is a memory resource exhaustion due to a large loop of pushing items into a vector. This could lead to remote denial of service 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-68399439.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13279 resides within the M3UParser::parse function in the M3UParser.cpp file of Android operating systems. This issue represents a classic memory exhaustion flaw that manifests through an unbounded loop condition during playlist parsing operations. The vulnerability specifically affects Android versions 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, and 8.1, indicating a widespread impact across multiple Android releases. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and bounds checking when processing media playlist files, particularly those in M3U format which are commonly used for audio and video streaming.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a scenario where maliciously crafted M3U playlist files can trigger an excessive number of vector push operations within the parsing logic. When the parser encounters a specially constructed playlist with an inflated number of entries, it continuously appends items to an internal vector data structure without adequate size limitations or termination conditions. This uncontrolled growth of memory allocation eventually consumes all available system resources, leading to a denial of service condition that prevents legitimate applications from functioning properly. The vulnerability operates at the application level parsing layer, making it accessible through standard media playback operations that process user-supplied playlist files.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk as it requires no elevated privileges for exploitation and can be triggered through remote delivery of malicious playlist files. The need for user interaction indicates that victims must actively engage with the malicious content, typically by opening or playing the crafted M3U file, which makes it particularly dangerous in social engineering scenarios. The remote denial of service impact means that attackers can disrupt normal device functionality without requiring physical access or complex attack vectors, making it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking to compromise Android devices. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-770, which describes allocation of resources without limits or refresh, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve implementing proper bounds checking and resource limitations within the playlist parsing logic. Android security patches typically address this by introducing maximum limits on playlist entry counts, implementing memory usage monitoring during parsing operations, and adding input validation checks to detect and reject excessively large playlist files. System-level protections should include establishing memory allocation thresholds for parsing operations and implementing timeout mechanisms to prevent indefinite processing of malformed inputs. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of opening untrusted playlist files, and applications should implement defensive programming practices such as using smart pointers or alternative data structures that provide better memory management controls. Organizations deploying Android devices should prioritize applying security patches promptly and consider implementing network-level controls to prevent the delivery of suspicious playlist content.