CVE-2017-14916 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, QRD Android, with all Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel, buffer sizes in the message passing interface are not properly validated.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2021
This vulnerability affects Android devices running on Qualcomm MSM platforms where the Linux kernel is used as the underlying operating system. The issue stems from improper validation of buffer sizes within the message passing interface components that facilitate communication between different system processes and drivers. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it exists across multiple Android releases from the Code Aurora Forum and affects both Android for MSM and Firefox OS for MSM variants. The buffer size validation failure creates a potential pathway for attackers to exploit memory corruption issues through malformed message data.
The technical flaw manifests when the system receives messages through the inter-process communication mechanisms without properly validating the buffer sizes specified within these messages. This allows for potential buffer overflows or underflows that could be leveraged by malicious actors to execute arbitrary code or cause system instability. The vulnerability resides in the kernel-level message passing interface where data is processed before being handled by various system components. Attackers could potentially craft malicious messages with oversized or undersized buffer parameters to trigger memory corruption conditions that compromise system integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes to potentially enable full system compromise. An attacker with the ability to send crafted messages to vulnerable components could exploit this weakness to escalate privileges, execute unauthorized code, or cause persistent system failures. The vulnerability affects devices running on Qualcomm MSM hardware platforms, which represents a significant portion of Android devices in the market, particularly those manufactured by companies using Qualcomm's chipsets. This makes the potential attack surface quite broad, affecting millions of devices globally.
The flaw aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of buffer sizes, and could be exploited using techniques consistent with ATT&CK tactics such as privilege escalation and code execution. The vulnerability's presence in the Linux kernel message passing interface means that it operates at a low system level where traditional user-space protections may not apply. System administrators and device manufacturers should prioritize applying security patches that validate buffer sizes before processing incoming messages. The mitigation strategy should focus on implementing proper input validation mechanisms within the kernel's message handling components to prevent malformed buffer size parameters from being processed. Additionally, runtime protections such as stack canaries and memory protection mechanisms should be enhanced to detect and prevent exploitation attempts.