CVE-2017-8207 in Honor 5C
Summary
by MITRE
The driver of honor 5C, honor 6x Huawei smart phones with software of versions earlier than NEM-AL10C00B356, versions earlier than Berlin-L21HNC432B360 have a buffer overflow vulnerability due to the lack of parameter validation. An attacker tricks a user into installing a malicious APP which has the root privilege of the Android system, the APP can send a specific parameter to the driver of the smart phone, causing a system reboot or arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8207 affects Huawei smartphones including the honor 5C and honor 6x models with specific software versions prior to NEM-AL10C00B356 and Berlin-L21HNC432B360. This represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the device driver component that governs hardware functionality. The vulnerability stems from insufficient parameter validation mechanisms within the driver code, creating an exploitable condition where malicious input can cause unintended behavior. The flaw exists at the intersection of hardware driver interfaces and Android system security controls, making it particularly dangerous as it operates at a low system level where privileges are elevated.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a classic buffer overflow condition where an attacker can manipulate input parameters sent to the affected driver through a malicious application. When the vulnerable driver receives improperly validated input, it fails to properly bounds-check the data before processing, allowing memory corruption to occur. This memory corruption can manifest in two primary ways: system instability leading to unexpected reboots or more severe arbitrary code execution capabilities. The attack vector requires social engineering to convince users to install a malicious application that has already been granted root privileges within the Android operating system, which significantly lowers the barrier to exploitation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to device security and user privacy as it allows for complete system compromise when successfully exploited. The requirement for root privileges in the malicious application indicates that attackers must first overcome initial system security measures, but once achieved, the buffer overflow provides a reliable path to system control. The impact extends beyond simple device compromise to potential data theft, persistent backdoor installation, and complete loss of device control. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Huawei devices that were popular in consumer markets, amplifying the potential attack surface and user impact.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2017-8207 involves immediate software updates from Huawei to patch the vulnerable driver components. Users should ensure their devices receive the security updates released for versions NEM-AL10C00B356 and Berlin-L21HNC432B360 or later. System administrators and security teams should implement monitoring for suspicious application installations and enforce strict application vetting processes. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 for stack-based buffer overflow conditions and relates to ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation' and T1059 for 'Command and Scripting Interpreter'. Organizations should also consider implementing mobile device management solutions that can detect and prevent installation of potentially malicious applications that may attempt to exploit this class of vulnerability.