CVE-2017-15846 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In the video_ioctl2() function in the camera driver in Android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, and QRD Android before 2017-09-16, an untrusted pointer dereference may potentially occur.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/24/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15846 represents a critical security flaw within the camera driver subsystem of Android operating systems and related platforms including Firefox OS for MSM and QRD Android. This issue manifests in the video_ioctl2() function which serves as a central interface for camera device control operations. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly verify the legitimacy of pointer references passed to the kernel-level camera driver. When malicious or malformed input is processed through this ioctl interface, the system attempts to dereference an untrusted pointer, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-476, which specifically addresses NULL pointer dereference conditions in software systems. This flaw operates at the kernel level within the Android multimedia subsystem, where camera drivers interface with hardware components through standard ioctl (input/output control) mechanisms. The video_ioctl2() function processes various camera control commands and configuration parameters, but fails to validate the integrity of pointers used in memory operations. This unvalidated pointer dereference creates a potential attack surface where an attacker could manipulate the pointer values to redirect execution flow or access unauthorized memory regions. The vulnerability particularly affects devices running Android versions prior to the 2017-09-16 security patch release, making them susceptible to exploitation through carefully crafted malicious inputs.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-15846 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it represents a kernel-level vulnerability that could enable complete system compromise. Attackers exploiting this flaw could potentially execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges, leading to full system takeover, persistent backdoor installation, or data exfiltration capabilities. The vulnerability's presence in multiple Android variants including MSM (Mobile Services Module) platforms indicates a widespread exposure across various mobile device manufacturers and their respective software ecosystems. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and kernel exploitation methods, specifically targeting the T1068 - Exploitation for Privilege Escalation and T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter categories.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate deployment of the security patches released by Google and device manufacturers on or before the 2017-09-16 timeline. System administrators should prioritize updating all affected Android devices to versions containing the patched video_ioctl2() function implementation. Additionally, organizations should implement network monitoring to detect suspicious ioctl operations targeting camera interfaces and consider deploying kernel-based security modules such as kernel address space layout randomization (KASLR) and stack canaries to reduce exploit reliability. Device vendors should conduct thorough code reviews of kernel driver implementations to identify similar pointer validation weaknesses and establish robust input sanitization routines that prevent untrusted pointer dereferences. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive mobile device management policies to ensure timely deployment of critical security fixes across enterprise environments.