CVE-2017-18074 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before security patch level 2018-04-05 on Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear MDM9607, MDM9625, MDM9635M, MDM9640, MDM9645, MDM9650, MDM9655, MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 430, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, SD 835, while playing a .wma file with modified media header with non-standard bytes per second parameter value, a reachable assert occurs.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2020
This vulnerability exists in Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile and wearable chipsets affected by Android security patch level 2018-04-05 or earlier. The flaw manifests when processing .wma media files with modified headers containing non-standard bytes per second parameter values, leading to a reachable assertion failure. This represents a classic buffer overflow condition that can be triggered through media file manipulation, specifically targeting the audio decoding subsystem within the Qualcomm Snapdragon hardware platform. The vulnerability falls under CWE-611 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer) and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript) as it involves code execution through media processing components. The affected chipsets include MDM9607, MDM9625, MDM9635M, MDM9640, MDM9645, MDM9650, MDM9655, MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 430, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, and SD 835.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the media processing pipeline where the system attempts to parse and validate the bytes per second parameter in the .wma file header. When this parameter contains non-standard values, the parsing logic fails to properly validate the input, causing an assertion to trigger within the media decoder. This assertion failure represents a critical control flow issue that can potentially be exploited to cause a denial of service condition or, in more sophisticated attacks, could be leveraged to execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the core media processing capabilities of these chipsets, which are widely deployed in smartphones and wearable devices. The issue stems from inadequate input validation within the media header parsing component, specifically in how the system handles non-standard parameter values that fall outside expected ranges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system instability, as it affects the fundamental media processing capabilities of affected devices. An attacker could potentially craft malicious .wma files that trigger the assertion failure, leading to device crashes, application hangs, or complete system unresponsiveness during media playback. This vulnerability could be particularly dangerous in environments where media playback is critical or in targeted attacks against specific device models. The reach of this vulnerability is significant given the widespread deployment of Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets across various Android device manufacturers, including major smartphone and wearable device makers. The vulnerability affects not just individual devices but entire product lines, making it a substantial concern for enterprise security teams and device manufacturers who must consider the implications for their deployed device fleets.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching through the Android security update process, specifically targeting the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets affected by the vulnerability. Device manufacturers and carriers should prioritize deployment of the security patch released on or after 2018-04-05 to address the underlying media processing flaw. Additionally, users should be advised to avoid downloading or playing media files from untrusted sources, particularly those with unusual file extensions or modifications to standard media headers. System administrators should consider implementing media file filtering policies that prevent playback of .wma files with non-standard headers, while network security teams should monitor for potential exploitation attempts through malicious media file delivery. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation in media processing components and the need for comprehensive security testing of multimedia frameworks within mobile platforms. Organizations should also consider implementing device monitoring solutions that can detect unusual system behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly around media processing functions.