CVE-2017-6249 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the NVIDIA sound driver could enable a local malicious application to execute arbitrary code within the context of the kernel. This issue is rated as Moderate because it first requires compromising a privileged process. Product: Android. Versions: N/A. Android ID: A-34373711. References: N-CVE-2017-6249.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6249 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within the NVIDIA sound driver component of Android systems. This weakness resides in the kernel-level audio subsystem and specifically affects the handling of privilege escalation scenarios within the multimedia framework. The vulnerability manifests when a local malicious application attempts to exploit improper access controls and privilege management within the sound driver interface. The issue is particularly concerning because it operates at the kernel level where any successful exploitation directly compromises the entire system integrity. According to the Android security advisory A-34373711, this vulnerability requires an initial compromise of a privileged process as a prerequisite for exploitation, which aligns with the moderate severity rating assigned to the flaw.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and privilege checking mechanisms within the NVIDIA sound driver code. When applications attempt to interact with the audio subsystem through kernel interfaces, the driver fails to properly verify the privilege level of the calling process before executing sensitive operations. This design flaw creates a pathway for malicious code to escalate its privileges from user-level to kernel-level execution context. The vulnerability specifically affects the handling of audio device control operations and may involve improper memory management or insufficient access control lists within the driver's kernel space implementation. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-276, which addresses improper privilege management in software components.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to Android devices running affected NVIDIA sound driver versions. The requirement for an initial compromise of a privileged process means that attackers must first gain access to a system with elevated privileges before attempting to exploit this specific weakness. However, once successfully exploited, the kernel-level execution capability provides complete system control, including the ability to modify system files, install malicious applications, and access all user data. The impact extends beyond individual device compromise to potentially enable broader network infiltration and lateral movement within enterprise environments where Android devices are deployed.
Security mitigations for CVE-2017-6249 should focus on immediate patch deployment and system hardening measures. Organizations must prioritize updating all affected Android devices with the latest security patches provided by NVIDIA and device manufacturers. System administrators should implement additional monitoring for unusual audio driver access patterns and privilege escalation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers privilege escalation through kernel exploits, making it essential for security teams to monitor for suspicious kernel-level activities. Additionally, implementing application whitelisting and restricting audio driver access permissions can provide additional defense layers. The mitigation approach should also include regular security assessments of kernel components and proper privilege separation to minimize the attack surface available to potential adversaries.